On Deck! 5/21/13

Hey Bat Fans,

Another comic book day is right around the corner, and that means a host of Batman goodness is nearly ready for consumption. Whether you are pinching your pennies trying to figure out which comics are worth buying or you just want a rundown on what's on the market in case you missed something, BatWatch is here to help as we run down the list of Bat Family comics coming out today. The market is not as flooded with Bat titles as usual, but the good news is that there does not appear to be a bad issue in the bunch.

Real quick though, let me remind you about the News Page. It's updated every day, and it's really hopping. In the past week, I've added thirty-eight news articles. Everything from Kevin Keller beating down Batwoman to Brett Booth abandoning Nightwing can be found with just a simple click of the mouse.

In addition, I did some quick reviews of Legends of the Dark Knight #48 and Li'l Gotham #10. Also, I've caught up on comments, so if you've been waiting on me to get back to you on BatWatch, I should have given you a response.

Regular Issues

Teen Titans was moderately better than usual last month. Tim's still a douche and the writing is not what I would call tight, but Lobdell managed to make a giant monster ripping through New York City oddly compelling. Perhaps it was partially because Trigon's motivation seemed to be more geared towards undermining the effectiveness of the team than outright destroying them. Psimon is still around in this issue making trouble. Raven, who seems to have become immediately chummy with the Teen Titans, is also on board, and Heaven only knows what's happening with Beast Boy. As I've said before, if you could describe Lobdell's writing in a single word, that word would not be “subtle,” but I have to admit that I'm interested in seeing how this plays out. The only questions is if the story will stay cohesive enough and the characters stay likable enough to sustain my interest until the end of the arc.

Talon #8

Have you been reading Talon? If not, why not? It's freaking great!

To my disappointment, the introduction of Bane as the villain in the last issue did not bring in a big groundswell of new readers. The title is still in the lower third of DC's sales, but it is not so low as to be in danger of cancellation.

Still, it is a darn shame because Tynion (current writer of Talon, Red Hood and the Outlaws and Batman) has made this one heck of a ride thus far. The last issue ended with quite a cliffhanger as Bane snapped Calvin's neck like a twig, killing him. Most of the time, this would be a certain fake out, but given that Talon is a new hero without much of a baseline, it's not too crazy to think Calvin might be killed in his own series. On the other hand, The Court of Owls can revive the dead, yet those talons who come back to life seem like something not quite human. Would Tynion zombify this fantastic new character, and if so, how would it change the book? I'm still not convinced there is not an excuse for this. I can think of a couple plausible ways for Talon to live through this the most probable being that Bane faked it so he could use Talon for his own purpose, but however things shake out, I'm going to be there to enjoy it.

First Time to Print Titles

Batman Beyond Unlimited #16

Batman Beyond Unlimited, soon to be called Batman Beyond Universe, is out this week. The Batman Beyond story in this one is very good as usual though I cannot speak for Superman Beyond or Justice League Beyond. 9/10

Li'l Gotham #2

Dustin Nguyen's version of Gotham finds its way into print once more. This collection contains some stories which were not quite as good as the last, but it is still a definite purchase for anyone who enjoys the concept of chibi Gothamites. 8/10

Trades

Nothing in trades this week.

Guest Appearances

Justice League #20

There appear to be no crossovers for the Bat Clan this week, but Bruce plays his regular role in Justice League. According to the solicit, something about Batman might lead to the break up of Superman and Wonder Woman in this issue? Someone drop me a line and let me know what's up with that.

That's all for today!

7 Mysteries of Batman, Incorporated

If I were to put my head together with a few other Batman, Incorporated fans, we as a group could probably come up with two dozen different mysteries that need solving in the pages of Batman, Incorporated, but I am just one man, and I only came up with seven on my own. These are the questions that nag me when I think of Batman, Inc., and with only three issues left, the series does not have much time left to answer them.

#7 – Who is The Heretic?

The identity of the cloaked Batman knock off was a mystery in the pages of Batman, Incorporated for quite some time, but it was eventually revealed that The Heretic is a clone of Damian. Artificially aged, genetically manipulated and violently indoctrinated, he is little more than a malignant pawn of Talia.

Or is he?

It could be that this is the truth of The Heretic's identity, but something still feels off to me. If this character has no real connection to Batman and Talia wants to destroy the Bat, why would he wear a modified Bat suit? Why have we still never seen The Heretic's face? Why can he heal from wounds that should be fatal?

Even if The Heretic is no more than an advanced clone, we still know almost nothing about who he is. Hopefully, we will find out more about this mysterious figure before the series concludes.

#6 – When did Bruce Wayne and Jason Todd make up?

Since Jason's revival, the Red Hood has opposed Batman in one form or another at every corner and in every encounter, but about a year into the reboot, we discovered that Jason and Bruce were working together once more to stop Leviathan. Bruce and Jason setting aside their differences to serve a greater good is a huge stepping stone for both of them, and it is criminal to leave this moment shrouded and unseen. Fans deserve to know how these two took their first steps towards restoring the father/son bond.

#5 – What will happen to Batman, Incorporated?

This is one mystery we can be assured will have an answer for this is the stated purpose of the recently announced Batman, Incorporated Special #1. It's a good thing too because though many of the members of Batman, Incorporated never really got their moment in the spotlight, we grew attached to some. Knight, Batwing and even Bat Cow deserve some narrative resolution.

Click Here for the Rest of the Article.

More Commentary Articles

How the DCNU Ruined Batman, Incorporated

Batman Beyond Moves Beyond the Cartoon

Tweets of the Week 5/19/13

It's Tweets of the Week where I share a few interesting tweets I found from comic creators and commentators throughout the week. Life's been pretty crazy for me this past week with six major comic releases, some...interesting experiences at work, and lots of little curve balls that life has thrown me, so I was not able to spend as much time on Twitter as I would have liked. However, I do have just a few things you might enjoy. Also, I should be able (fingers crossed because I said this last week) to get caught up with digital first reviews and respond to comments this Monday.

Before I share some tweets, let me remind you that the News Page has been updated, so make sure to check that out if you are interested in keeping up with the latest Bat Family news.

Since this is such a tiny list today, I've changed my usual mantra slightly to...

Let's Kick This Piglet!

Scott Snyder (former writer for Detective Comics and Vertigo's American Vampire and current writer of Batman and Talon) objects to a disturbing image.

Snyder: “blasphemy RT @FlyingGrayson_: @Ssnyder1835 what do you think of this? pic.twitter.com/sgIFDUOIGA”

Brett Booth (former artist on Wildstorm series Backlash and current penciler of Nightwing and cover artist for Justice League of America's Vibe) tries to work out his frustrations on paper.

Booth: “In a bad mood today... luckily FIGHT PAGE!!!”

Finally, Yildiray Cinar (former artist of Teen Titans and penciler of Legion of Super-Heroes) tries to start a new internet picture trend.

Cinar: “Security cam selfie http://instagram.com/p/ZdRQ2IFW8Y/”

That's it for now. Check in tomorrow for an article on Batman, Incorporated and its lingering mysteries.

The "What the Crap" Files 5/18/13

It's time for a new feature on BatWatch, The "What the Crap" files. I've been toying around with this idea for quite some time, but I decided it was finally the moment to put it into action. The concept is simple. Anything comic book culture (usually Batman related) from the weekly comics and news that made me think, "What the crap?" gets a mention. Most of these "What the Crap?" moments will be negative, but a few positives might be so amazing that they earn a "What the Crap?" of awesomeness.

Now that we've established the concept, let's get to it. There were a lot of things which earned a mention this week. Usually, the What the Crap file should not be this long, but today, we've got five big mentions. We are going to start with #5 and work out way towards #1.

#5 Lexiac Nearly Made It to the Big Screen

Click Here to Read the Rest of the Article

Batman Vs. Spiderman Video

Hail Bat Fans,

Well, Thursday really sucked for me. Reeeeeally sucked, and after a horrible day at work, I decided to unwind a little in the evening. For that reason, I did not get a commentary article written, so sorry for anybody expecting it today. I do have something in mind, and you can expect an article to the effect of, "7 Questions That Need To Be Answered in Batman, Incorporated" to be posted Monday. I did get just a few articles posted to the News Page yesterday including an interview with Snyder and Capullo on Zero Year and some info on The Man of Steel, so check that out if you are interested.

To make up for the lack of a commentary article, I have something else that will hopefully be equally fun. This is from a show called Death Battle from a group called ScrewAttack that makes some very high quality video game videos. Essentially, this series involves the commentators picking two video game characters, analyzing their strengths and weaknesses, and then watching a death battle between the two combatants. This battle is between Batman and Spider-Man, and I thought it was pretty cool. I was very impressed by the animation they used for the battle. The show largely recycles or slightly modifies avatars from various preexisting video games, but this battle is very well choreographed and well executed, and I do agree with the outcome. Hopefully, this will be a new treat for most of you. I enjoyed this video so much that I've watched many more of their battles now.

Be warned that there are a few curse words in this video. I imagine few if any of you are concerned, but I try to keep content on BatWatch around the soft side of PG-13, so I wanted to make sure everybody was forewarned less there be any young or sensitive ears on BatWatch. The rundown of the heroes skills, tech powers and weaknesses is actually pretty cool in and of itself, but I imagine most of you are very familiar with Batman and passingly familiar with Spider-Man, so if you just want to see the carnage, skip ahead to 6:30. 

Have a great weekend everybody!

BatWatch Review: Nightwing #20

Hey Bat Fans,

Wednesday proved to be a better than expected comic book day with only one title being bad and the other five being okay or better. As always, I'll provide a link to all my recent reviews at the bottom of the page, but let me remind you that there are a bunch of new News Articles up as well, so make sure to check that out. My favorite bit of news from yesterday is the trailer for Scribblenauts Unmasked. It looks like a ton of fun. Now for Nightwing...

Flying Blind

In general, I have not been too impressed by Kyle Higgins run on Nightwing, but holy crap was I ever blown away by the last issue of Nightwing. Throw Dick into Chicago, and he spontaneously develops a supporting cast. Intrigue was around every corner in last issue as we met a host of new characters, and maybe I'm wrong, but it also seemed as if Dick had a bit more of his pre-Flashpoint skill, flair and humor back. Regardless, I laughed, (well, I chuckled) I cried, (well, okay, no, but it was cool, okay?) and I enjoyed myself thoroughly with Nightwing #19. I'm definitely ready to learn more about the corruption of Chicago, the history of Tony Zucco, the motivation of Prankster, and the psychosis of Mali.

Does this issue prove that Windy City is the place for Dick Grayson or does all the progress of the last issue swept aside in this one?

In this issue, Nightwing meets his new roommates and gets a lead from Spade, the police come across more of Prankster's handiwork, and Tony Zucco is revealed as a much more complex character than we originally suspected.

Upgrade

It seems like the entire dialogue of the book has really stepped up a notch or two...or three. Whereas most of the previous issues of Nightwing have never really made me feel overly attached to the characters, the people in this issue all seem to have depth and personality. Mike gets some more development this issue, and Dick gets to know his other roommate, Joey. Joey seems like an interesting character, and she is yet another suspect for the identity of the Prankster. The conversations between Dick, Mike, and Joey felt completely natural and really gave a good sense of who these new characters are in just a few pages. Similarly, Tony Zucco and the mayor also had a conversation in this issue which did a lot to deepen the plot while building intrigue and making these characters feel more fully realized. There is still a definite and even probable chance that the mayor and Zucco are evil, but at least they are not the typical mustache twirling variety of villain.

To Read the Rest of This Review, Click Here.

More Recent Reviews:

Nightwing #20

Batgirl #20

Red Hood and the Outlaws #20

Batwoman #20

Catwoman #20

Birds of Prey #20

Bat Polls 5/14/13

Hail, Bat Nerds! Tis I, BatWatcher, who bids thou high regards. Tis comic book day, and this illustrious occasion is most wonderfully and spectacularly celebrated each Wednesday by a series of that which is called “Bat Polls.” It will be but a moment of time before we shall gloriously partake of this feast of opinions, but first, I bear the joyous right and responsibility to point thou thirsty travelers who wishest to drink at the Stream of Knowledge to dip your mouths in the waters of the News Page where tis the pleasure of BatWatch to bring tidings, both good and bad, regarding the Household of the Bat. If thou wishest to expand thy mind, please hesitate not to visit that sacred page.

Without further hindrance, let us examine with great pride and solemn joy the results of last weeks Polls of the Bat.

Gotham Would Be Too Crowded for a Car. How Should Batman Really Get Around?

BatWatch was pretty torn on this issue, but by far the most commonly chosen answer (receiving 35% of the vote) was that Batman should get around by gliding on his cape as he does in the Arkham games.

Clearly, gliding on the cape is awesome, and if you've ever played the Arkham games, then you know it has a look and feel like nothing else. It is uniquely Batman, and it fits his motif perfectly. However, I do not think it is really feasible. I like Batman's equipment to be more grounded in reality, and though Batman could certainly make a glider with some limited use, I do not think a material such as a cape could offer the right properties for the job. Also, Gotham is a big place. Cape gliding might be fine when you just have to get around several blocks, but Gotham is much bigger than that, and even in the smallness of Arkham City, it took about five minutes to get from one side of the map to the other.

I actually did not have a solution in mind when I made up this poll, but after stewing on it all week, I've come to think that a motorcycle is the clear winner. It could not be a Bat Pod as we saw in The Dark Knight for that would barely be better than a car for weaving through pedestrian and automobile traffic, and also, if somebody were to walk in front of you, they would almost certainly die under that massive bike. No, a smaller crotch rocket model would probably be best. Batman would need something that would get up to speed quickly, but would be tiny enough to navigate between all the challenges of the city streets. The sidewalks would probably be empty enough in most parts of the city at night so that you could get up to 20 MPH or faster which is not a bad clip when compared to hoofing it or gliding.

Who Is the Earth 2 Batman?

Again, BatWatch had a lot of different ideas, but 24% went with the most obvious choice, Dick Grayson. Some other options got some decent attention. Jean-Paul Valley grabbed 16%, and Terry McGinnis grabbed 12%.

I have no idea on this one. I don't think I even voted because I have not been following Earth 2 nor do I know too much about the universe. However, I do not think it is Dick Grayson because Earth 2 is not supposed to have any duplicate characters from the main universe. Of course, they did break this with Power Girl and the Trinity lived on Earth 2 briefly before getting killed off, so maybe this will be another exception, but I hope that Earth 2 does something more creative. If forced to make a guess, I would say he is Jean-Paul Valley. Valley was a money earner for DC for nearly a decade. His series was not extremely successful, but it moved off the shelves. In the more lethal and darker Earth 2, Jean-Paul Valley would fit right in, and this would be a good way to get him off the shelf and back in action. As far as Terry McGinnis, it would be kind of cool because it would be a chance for Terry and Bruce to finally interact, but it would still not be too impressive since this would be a whole new version of the character. I do think the idea of Alfred being Batman is cool though obviously this would violate the “no dupes” policy.

Does Batman Rely Too Much on Technology?

The vast majority of BatWatch (63%) felt that Batman uses the perfect amount of technology right now. Over two-thirds of Batwatchers felt he either used the right amount or needed to use more.

I disagree completely with you guys on this one. I think Bats use of tech is a crutch writers use to get him out of tough situations. In the last year, we've seen Bruce get out of tough scrapes by using giant Iron Man style battle suits, transparent DNA carrying microfilm, and random knick knacks that disable enemies without even any real explanation as to what they are or how they work. My ideal version of Bats has some tech, sure, but it is technology that actually exists, and he does not have the perfect tool for every job in his utility belt. If Bats has an antidote or a handy device in the Batmobile, I don't mind that, but do not tell me he packed exactly the right tool for the job in the very limited space on his utility belt when he had no idea the threat he would be facing. There is a thin line between a cool use of tech and lazy writing in comics, and I think Batman writers are often on the wrong side of that line.

Another element that I barely mentioned in that diatribe was that I want to see Bruce with tech that actually exists. This is more my personal vision for the character than anything else, and I can understand others are more accepting of make believe equipment, but for my money, Bruce should have the cutting edge and maybe some stuff that's in development but not yet perfected, but he should not have access to every sci-fi toy a writer can dream up.

On Deck! 5/14/13

It's good news/bad news day. The good news is that there were a lot of great News Articles added to BatWatch yesterday including the August Batman Solicits, so you can head over there to catch up with all the latest. The bad news is that I was so busy adding news articles to the site that I was not able to get any more comic reviews done. Sorry. I also have not responded to any comments on BatWatch for some time, so sorry for that as well.

In more good news, tomorrow is comic book day, and it is a great day to be a fan of the Bat Family because we have a crap ton of comics that come out this week. In yet more bad news, many of these comics have been underperforming, so it's hard to get too terribly excited over many of them.

Now, let's go over this weeks pull list to see what we have to enjoy.

The Pull List

Regular Issues

Nightwing #20

Nightwing #20 is here, and I could not be happier. As far as I am concerned, Nightwing #19 was the best issue Grayson has had in the DCNU, and if that is what we have to look forward to with Dick in Chicago, I'm prepped, excited and ready to go. The preview made it clear that Brett Booth (former artist on Wildstorm's Backlash and current penciler for Nightwing and cover artist for Earth 2 and Justice League of America's Vibe) continues to kill it with the visuals on the book and Kyle Higgins (former writer of Gates of Gotham and current writer of Nightwing) continues to toy with readers about the identity and nature of Prankster.
Batgirl #20

“Batgirl just killed a dude, and nobody cares.” That was my favorite headline I saw about last month's issue of Batgirl, but I'll elaborate on that later.

Batgirl #20 should have released last week, but for some reason, it was pushed back until now. This issue is the debut of the new penciler, Fernando Pasarin, (former penciler for Oracle: The Cure and current artist for Green Lantern Corps) and his work in the preview makes it look as if we can expect great thing in terms of the artwork. This issue will also serve as the introduction for the new version of The Ventriloquist who looks amazingly creepy.

Sadly, I'm less optimistic in terms of Batgirl's plot. After hinting at a conflict between Barbara and James Jr. for about a year, Simone (former writer of Birds of Prey and current writer of Batgirl,  The Movement and Vertigo's Time Warp) wrapped up the arc in a pretty sloppy manner. Barbara Sr. knows about Batgirl's secret identity. This is a fact she reveals right before shooting her son who somehow still, with a bullet wound, manages to turn the tables on both his sister and his mother on two separate occasions all of which culminates in Babs throwing a batarang through James Jr.'s eye which caused James to tumble a whole foot backwards into a wooden pier railing breaking his back before falling into the ocean waves below. Overkill much? Adding to the insanity and ludicrousness of the situation, Commissioner Gordon shows up a second later and tries to arrest Batgirl for murder. It's all too much, too quickly, and too unlikely to be taken remotely seriously, yet most people seem to be dazzled by the issue.

Perhaps it is because of the revelation of Batgirl's roommate as transgendered. That is certainly all anybody in the media has found time to discuss. Apparently, nothing says empowerment by mentioning that a character we've almost never seen has a certain body feature that we will also never be seen. The longer I've thought about this revelation, the more it has struck me as a rather hollow gesture towards inclusiveness. Alysia has no real character development other than the recent revelation that she is transgendered, so now we are supposed to believe we are becoming more open minded by creating a character who is defined by pretty much just one thing? Right.

Let me go ahead and get this on the record too. A lot of writers feel like they are empowering groups of people by showing them as victims. It's supposed to be a, “Don't you feel bad for how awful you treat these people, Society!” sort of message. I have no idea if Simone thinks this way, but if she does, then Alysia will be badly mistreated in the near future because she is transgendered, and since this is a comic book medium, this mistreatment would probably come in the form of an assault, possibly sexual. Hopefully, the story will not go this route because having a fully formed character who happened to be transsexual would actually be much more empowering than making Alysia a victim, but time will tell which route Simone will choose.

Red Hood and the Outlaws #20

This will be James Tynion IV's (current writer of Talon, Red Hood and the Outlaws, and Batman) second foray into the world of the Outlaws. In the last issue, the Outlaws were desperately trying to find Jason before something awful happened, but readers spent the whole issue rather in the dark. Now that Batman and Red Hood has been released, we have the missing chapter and can make more sense of the last issue and Jason's choice to have his mind wiped.

I found the last issue to be painfully slow in parts, and I did not much care for being kept out in the cold about what had transpired previously, but I am interested in seeing how James will move the story forward. I have no doubt that Red Hood's mind will eventually come back, but to what degree and how quickly are legitimate questions. Also, what will happen in the mean time when Jason has lost so much of what made him who he is? I'm looking forward to this issue, but I hope it is better than the last.

Batwoman #20

Batwoman has long been my favorite comic of the DCNU, but while the last issue of Batwoman was not really a let down, it did feel like it was missing something. Specifically, we had a lot of development on the drama front, but there were no great fights or big reveals, so though it was technically as good as ever, it felt like it was missing a bit of a punch.

When last we saw Batwoman, Kate had just discovered her sister was still alive which would normally be a great cliffhanger on which to end an issue, but considering this was revealed to readers two issues ago, it failed to make a huge impression. Still, this is a huge deal to Batwoman, and now SHADE will no doubt be unveiling their master plan to Kate and using Alice as a bribe. The preview showed this to be the case, but the preview seemed oddly focused on agent Chase. Considering this series' previous track record of spending entire issues developing side stories, we can probably expect to learn a lot more about good (evil?) old  agent Chase.

Catwoman #20

What is there to say about poor Selina's series that I have not already said? It's been painfully bad recently under the pen of Ann Nocenti. (former writer for Daredevil and current writer for Catwoman and Katana) Last month, Selina was thrown into Arkham Asylum by her teammates on the JLA to infiltrate the Secret Society, and she ended up discovering...a big structure under Arkham. Honestly, I'm not even sure what the significance of this was supposed to be.

Little is known about the current issue other than that Catwoman will be tangling with a certain fine feathered fink.

Birds of Prey #20

The Bird has not been the word in the DCNU as this book has struggled to find its place, but it seems to be heading in the right direction with Christy Marx (former writer of Epic series The Sisterhood of Steel and current writer of Birds of Prey and Sword of Sorcery) at the helm. Last issue was not brilliant, but it was actually fun which is the first time I've been able to say that about Birds in a long time. In Birds #19, it was finally revealed that Starling was a traitor working with Mr. Freeze, and now it is time to see how that plays out. Starling has been by far the most interesting character on the Birds of Prey, so we can only hope that her betrayal does not keep her off the series.

Trades

Batman Beyond: 10,000 Clowns

10,000 Clowns revolves around a villain who comes from a surprising source. Dana Tan's brother, Doug, returns to Gotham, and he soon reveals himself to be The Joker King. Who is the Joker King? Well, anybody who has seen Batman Beyond knows that there are these weird clusters of Joker worshiping thugs called Jokerz who roam the streets of future Gotham. They are menaces, but they are also kind of boobs. Joker King shares their philosophy and manages to unite the Jokerz under his influence, and he reigns down a nihilistic Armageddon on Gotham. At the same time, Bruce crumples under the weight of his own failing body and many characters from both Bruce and Terry's past come into the spotlight once more. Without Bruce to guide him, Terry has to track down and stop the Joker King all by himself.

As I said not too long ago, I never watched the cartoon a lot, so I had no strong attachment to Batman Beyond when I started reading this series, but this story soon sucked me in. If you like Batman Beyond or are even open to the idea of it, I think this would be a good buy at only $17 for 180 pages.

Guest Appearances

Justice League of America's Vibe #3

Vibe gets a visit from a certain Dark Knight in this issue. It's impossible to know from the solicit and cover how much Batman will actually be in this issue, but it certainly appears as if Batman might be ready to start Trinity War early with the way he stands ready to gut Vibe with those batarangs. I've not read Vibe, but I can say it has suffered from awful sales. On the other hand, Geoff Johns is co writing it, and he's generally great, so if you've been looking for an excuse to pick up a new series, this might be worth checking out.

Supergirl #20

If you are not getting enough Power Girl action in Worlds' Finest or you are just tired of seeing a Power Girl who is embarrassingly stupid, then you might want to check out Supergirl #20 this week. Michael Alan Nelson has taken over writing duties on Supergirl recently, and based on his work on The Ravagers and the preview for this issue, it looks like he is doing an amazing job. The preview actually had me laughing several times. If you are a Power Girl fan, you should check this out.

Why I Don't Like the Reboot: A Dick Grayson Perspective

Today, we have a commentary article from Kristen. Kristen is just about to graduate with a doctorate in history and she has an especial love of the medieval ages. She also loves Dicks. By that, I mean she enjoys  Richard the Third, Dick Grayson and any other Dick or Richard of cultural significance. She has two great blogs, ThoughtsaboutDickGrayson which has the most in depth and wide breadth analysis of Grayson I have ever seen and includes lots of scans from all generations of Dick Grayson comics. She also runs DIcksIHaveStudied which chronicles all sorts of historical tidbits from pretty much every person ever named Dick. She's a Dick addict.

As such, I figured there was nobody better to bring us some commentary on Dick Grayson today. I think Kristen's article is fantastic, and I agree with just about everything she says.

Before we get to that though, let's go over a few things. First up, make sure to check out the News Page today. There were a few important articles added over the weekend, and I have a lot more on tap, but I just ran out of time to get them updated Sunday. Thankfully, I have Monday off, so expect a lot of news today. Also, DC solicits are out for August, so we'll go over those manana as well. Finally, I should be able to catch up with some past due reviews for Legends, Li'l Gotham, and The Ravagers trade.

How the DCNU Screwed Dick Grayson

I don’t like the reboot. For one thing, I dislike change, especially when it is merely change for the sake of change (which is what I think the reboot is). Second, I don’t like what the reboot has done to Dick Grayson. Since Dick Grayson is the only reason I even read comics, this is a huge problem for me.

A part of me realizes that I shouldn’t complain. Dick, after all, has not been Jason Todd-ed. Back in 1985, as part of Crisis on Infinite Earths (the first big reboot), Jason was given a new origin and attitude. While this made him a unique character, rather than a Dick-Grayson clone, it came at the cost of Jason’s popularity. Within a few years, Jason was voted to death. In the New 52 reboot, Tim Drake has been Jason Todd-ed: a likeable character has been revamped as a douche-nozzle no one likes. At least Dick hasn’t suffered THAT fate.

I also admit that Kyle Higgins has been doing a pretty good job. With Nightwing relocating to Chicago, Higgins just might be able to develop a cast of great supporting characters that is wider than Sonia Branch. Sonia has potential, but Dick used to have Bridget Clancy, John Law, Amy Rohrbach, Gannon Malloy, and more. Kyle’s Nightwing definitely compares favorably to some of the rubbish Devin Grayson and Bruce Jones made us suffer through back in the 2000s. To be honest, although I enjoyed the 1996-2009 Nightwing solo series, I have just as many (if not more) “favorite Dick Grayson moments” that come from other books as come from the solo series. Dick was awesome despite some of the crap that happened in his solo series. To a certain extent, I’m damning Higgins with faint praise.

So why am I complaining? Because I don’t think for one second that what I have gained (a decent Nightwing solo series) even remotely compensates for what I have lost.

The World We Have Lost

The most egregious losses are:

-Dick no longer a child sidekick (maybe he’s still the first, but I’m not sure)

-Dick was Robin for a very short time

-Dick not officially Bruce’s ward (this is beyond the pale. To be frank, I try not to think about it because it upsets me so much. Instead, I focus on the positive. Higgins and Synder have definitely made it clear that Bruce and Dick still have a special relationship – see Batman #11 especially – so I focus on that instead.)

Click Here To Read the Rest of the Article.

Tweets of the Week 5/11/13

Hey Bat Fans,

I do not have much time because I have a friend's birthday party, Doctor Who themed, to get to shortly, but I will quickly try to throw together a few tweets from comic book creators and commentators that I've noticed through the week. Enjoy!

Let's Kick This Pig!

JimZub (former writer of Skullkickers and current writer of The Mighty Skullkickers and Dynamite's Pathfinder) explained why his Skullkickers comic has been changing titles every month.

JimZub: “New Creator-Owned Economics post: http://www.jimzub.com/?p=3101  Two new #1's so far + digital sales. Please RT! #comicmarket #makecomics”

ComicBookResources put up an article I wish more comic artist would read.

CBR: “Artist @kristaferanka On How to Draw "Sexy" Without Being Sexist http://on.cbr.cc/1940dEb”

Batgirl promotes Apple, and this, apparently, is something Jim Lee's wife appreciates?

Lee: “I started a sketchbook for my wife @joke2far in which I draw a pic for every trip I take w/o her pic.twitter.com/Gia1YHH90L”

Greg Capullo (former penciler for Image's Spawn and current penciler for Batman) tells artists how to hone their art skills in regard to fight scenes.

Capullo: “Capullo drawing tip: wanna draw convincing melees? Practice drawing football & soccer photos as I did back in the day. Sports Illustrated”

Ted Naifeh (former writer and artist of Oni Press' Courtney Crumrin) dropped a sketch on Twitter that might look a wee bit familiar to all you Firefly fans.

Naifeh: “Currently working on a new batch of commissions. Here's a little pulpy sci-fi action for you. Ink and color to follow pic.twitter.com/mOkJPrsV33”

That's it for now. I've got to go pretend like I know something about Doctor Who now.

News Updates

Greeting Bat Fans,

BatWatch runs on a schedule. News articles are updated daily, and there are a few other odds and ends that are updated as I have time, but the home page definitely has a rhythm. Sundays bring Tweets of the Week, Monday host a commentary article, Tuesdays feature On Deck!, Wednesdays carry the Bat Polls, Thursdays have a list of recent comic reviews, Fridays release another commentary article, and Saturdays highlight...well, nothing. I just kind of ramble about whatever is on my mind each Saturday, and I usually direct people towards the news page.

I've been thinking about the lack of a regular article for Saturday, and I think I've finally decided what I want to do to fill that gap, so if all goes according to plan, next Saturday will be the debut of The "What the Crap?" File, and I'll talk more about that next week.

For now, let me, as always, direct you over to the News Page. Today marks the first week anniversary since I implemented the new and improved news search criteria, and I would say it has paid off quite well. In the past week, BatWatch has had no less than forty-four news articles added to it. I think I can now safely say that BatWatch has the best news stream for Bat Family news anywhere on the net. If you enjoy BatWatch, please, pass it on especially if you are friendly with your local comic shop because those guys pass the word.

Thanks as always for sharing part of your day with me,

BatWatcher

Should We Be Worried about Tynion's RHATO?

James Tynion IV (current writer of Batman, Detective Comics, Red Hood and the Outlaws and Talon) has only had a single issue writing Red Hood and the Outlaws at this point, and to make any judgment based on merely one issue would be rash and premature.

That being said, I'm going to be rash and premature.

I have been a huge fan of Tynion's work on Talon and the backup features of Batman and Detective Comics, but I'd be lying if I denied that there were some red flags in his first issue of Red Hood and the Outlaws. I'm not going to get too much in the nitty gritty, but real quick, I'm going to hit a few points on what worries me.

1. Where's the Fun and the Funny?

Like many others, I enjoyed Lobdell's (former writer of Uncanny X-Men and current writer of Teen Titans, Superman, Superboy and Action Comics) run on RHATO, but let's be honest with ourselves, the series is not deep. The series formula is simple. Take three super types willing to use lethal force, throw them up against various baddies, make them crack wise in the face of certain death, add some self-destructive tendencies and a quasi familial relationship between team members, and boom, you've got Red Hood and the Outlaws. It's 80% fun action adventure with just a little bit of serious added in to give it flavor.

There was not a lot of fun or funny to be had in RHATO #19. Roy had one or two humorous lines and Jason's crack about his butler, “Kicking your a** all the way back to Gotham City,” was hilarious. Then, there was one obligatory and frivolous action scene, but beyond that, this issue seemed to take itself way too seriously. I wanted to have a good time, but I ended up feeling stressed and confused. That's not what I wanted.

Click Here to Read the Rest of the Article.

BatWatchReview: Batman #20

Before we get to the Batman review, let's run past some other items of interest on BatWatch. Yesterday, I forgot to set the timer for yesterday's homepage, so it did not go up until nearly noon instead of first thing in the morning. The Bat Polls are up though, and I love seeing the BatWatch community's take on things, so check that out if you feel so inclined. Also, the News Page has really been booming these past few days, so I hope everybody is heading over there everyday to check out the latest. There were ten news articles added just yesterday, and of course, the News Page is updated every day. Finally, there are some digital firsts and trades which I have not yet reviewed, but I'll get to them. If you enjoy BatWatch, please, pass it on.

Nowhere Man

Tis time for another thrilling tale of Batman as written from the pen (keyboard) of Scott Snyder. Snyder, (former writer for Detective Comics and Vertigo's American Vampire and current writer of Batman and Talon) as we all know, has been tearing it up on Batman ever since the launch of the DCNU with some massive story arcs, but Batman #19 and #20 represent the first time he has slowed thing down and told a shorter, if not less intense, story. Last issue started with a bang showing us Bruce Wayne wearing a Batman costume and tearing through a line of cops to commit acts of terror. A flashback brought us up to speed and revealed that the master molder Clayface is to blame for “Bruce's” crime spree. Apparently, Clayface has evolved to be able to transform on a cellular level which makes him more of a threat than ever to Batman. The last panel of Batman #19 left us with the monstrous image of Clayface preparing to eliminate Bruce Wayne, and without the toys in his Bat suit, it looks like it might be a gooey end for our genius, billionaire, playboy philanthropist.

Does Snyder prove that he can shape a satisfying tale in but two issues or does his story dry up and crack under the strain?

In this issue, Bruce Wayne and Lucius Fox escape from certain death and Clayface leads the police on a not so merry chase.

Just How Stupid Are Batman's Friends?

This is one of those issues which will leave you perplexed at how anybody can still be ignorant of the identity of Batman. You might think that seeing Bruce Wayne eagerly don a Bat suit and act heroically might clue Lucius Fox into the fact that Bruce Wayne is Batman, but no, apparently this is just one of those eccentric things that billionaires occasionally do, and Fox is determined not to think of it as anything other than that. Similarly, another group of people in this issue get a real big hint at Bruce Wayne's darker side, but this is once more swept under the rug in a somewhat believable way. However, though Batman has a good excuse showing that he is not Bruce Wayne, this excuse should have been immediately undermined by Batman's visceral reaction to Clayface's taunting a few seconds later.

This isn't a huge problem for the story, but it kind of annoyed me. It's one of those things that you are going to read, and maybe it will bug you, but you are going to say, “Hey, this happens in the same universe where Superman can hide his identity from people who have known him for years with just by wearing pair of eyeglasses. If that holds water, why should this be a problem?” However, little things like this bug me.

It seems especially annoying that Lucius has never figured it out. Part of this probably stems from the fact that Morgan Freeman so quickly put it together in The Dark Knight trilogy, and it just feels like Lucius should have figured it out by now. Also, Fox designs all Batman's gear. Wouldn't it be super easy to put a bug in the Batmobile, find out where it goes, or listen in on the conversation inside the cab. Maybe Lucius Fox is just a much better person than me, but I'm pretty sure my curiosity would get the best of me if I were in his position.

Click Here To Read the Rest of the Review.

More Recent Reviews:

Batman #20

Batman and... #20

The Ravagers #12

Bat Polls 5/8/13

In celebration of comic book day, BatWatch presents the Bat Polls where you can share your thoughts on the Bat themed questions of the day. Before we get into that, let me remind you that news articles are added to the site every day. In fact, I just recently expanded the depth of BatWatch's news coverage, so the News Page is better than ever. Make sure to head over there to keep up with the latest. Also, if you want a run down of all the Bat Family comics coming out today, (and there are quite a few) just check out yesterday's On Deck article. With that out of the way, it's time to get...

To the Bat Polls!

Before getting to this weeks questions, let's review last weeks results.

What Would You Like To See in the New Robin?

%37 said they would like to see the return of an old favorite like Stephanie Brown or Cassandra Cain. Coming in second, a lot of people (29%) also said that they would like to see somebody waiting in the wings take the role like Carrie or Harper.

I'm with the majority on this one. There are lots of cool characters that could be created, but why not use one of the dozens of awesome characters that have already existed in the Bat universe? As for Harper or Carrie, I'm not a big fan of them taking the role. I actually enjoy Harper, but I like that she has been able to break through Bruce's defenses. We will have to see how Snyder intends to use her, but I personally see her as a foil to the Bat; she is one of the few people who can cut through Batman's bullcrap, and I think she could better serve that role out of costume. As for Carrie who, from all indications, appears to be next in line for the pixie boots, she really annoys me, but I'll save that rant for another time. Honestly, I'm still not completely sure what about her bugs me.

Will You Check Out Gail Simone's The Movement?

It appears Batwatchers are not the most dedicated Gail Simone fans. The majority said, “No,” to the movement, but it was not a landslide against her with only 37% giving a definitive negative answer. 23% said they would pick up the series, and 23% said they might pick it up, so the BatWatch community is not exactly hostile to the book, we just aren't convinced that it will be great.

I guess I would best be classified as a maybe. I'm definitely not going to buy it because I spend a ton of money and time just buying all the Bat Family titles, but if I had more money and time to spend, I very well might pick it up.

Who Is the Best DCU Assassin?

36% said Lady Shiva was the best. Deadshot came in second at %27, but there was one vicious killer who came in right on Deadshot's heels, Alfred, The Butler. How awesome would that be as a series? Anybody up for an Alfred, The Butler Assassin miniseries? I would freaking love it! Anyway, that was obviously a joke option, but what a twist that would be if Alfred aided Bruce all these years just to put himself above suspicion.

On the serious side, I would also go with Lady Shiva although I probably only say that because she is more of a Batman villain than the other heavy hitters on the list, so I have seen more of her. Also, she plays an important role in the Robin comic series, and I love pre-Flashpoint Time Drake, so I have a soft spot in my heart for the evil dame. However, I think perhaps Deadshot is actually more deserving of the head slot. The fact that he nearly surpassed Shiva in polling on a Batman fan site is good evidence that he has some crazy skills.

On Deck! 5/7/13

On Deck!

We are one day out from comic book day, and it's time to take a look at what is on the Bat agenda for tomorrow.

Regular Issues

Batman #20 promises a battle between Batman and Bruce Wayne, or to be more exact, it promises a battle between Batman and Clayface masquerading as Bruce Wayne. Last issue revealed that Clayface has evolved and developed the ability to mold himself on a cellular level, and this spells big trouble for Batman. Snyder (former writer for Detective Comics and Vertigo's American Vampire and current writer of Batman and Talon) and Capullo (former penciler for Image's Spawn and current cover artist for Batman) rarely disappoint, and the preview made things look pretty fun, so I think we can safely bet on a good issue. Oddly enough, the solicit makes mention of the backup feature where Batman and Superman take on a will-o-wisp. Could Tynion's (current writer of Talon, Red Hood and the Outlaws, Batman and Detective Comics) backup be extended in this issue, or did the solicit merely avoid mentioning Clayface to avoid giving away the mystery in Batman #19? Regardless, I'm preparing for a fun time.

Hoodies will get an extra serving of Red Hood this month via Batman and Red Hood #20, but the preview makes it appear as if Carrie Kelley will once again upstage the promoted guest star as she takes up at least five pages of the issue. I have generally enjoyed Tomasi's (former editor of Hitman and current writer for Batman and Robin and Green Lantern Corps) run on this series, and he has unquestionably created some great moments, but I am not feeling Carrie Kelley as a likable character, so I'm hoping her grooming for the role of Robin is just a giant misdirect. Bringing the focus back to Batman though, we are going to see Bruce work out his anger over Damian's death in this issue, and if the amazing cover is any indication, there will be some powerful moments in this issue. Also keep in mind that (Minor Spoilers for RHATO #19) something must happen in this issue to cause Jason to become so depressed that he decided to let his memories to be altered. It appears that both Bruce and Jason are in for some more emotional scarring.

Batgirl #20 is supposed to be coming out Wednesday, but I've heard that is was delayed until next week, and DC's own website seems to confirm this rumor. I have no knowledge of the reason for the delay, but I would presume some art is still pending. I guess we will have to wait until next week to see what happens in the aftermath of all the insanity of Batgirl #19.

The Ravagers #12 will mark the end of this poorly conceived spin off of Teen Titans, but it is a shame because despite the series' rough start, it has evolved into something well worth reading. Last issue, everything came to a head as a four way battle between The Ravagers, Rose Wilson and Warblade, Animal-Vegetable-Mineral Man, and Deathstroke caused the world to turn upside down. At least two members of the team appear dead, yet one of them is shown to be very much alive on the cover of tomorrow's issue. Other plot points linger from last issue. Caitlin Fairchild was shown by Rose Wilson, whose loyalties are constantly ambiguous, that Fairchild has been cloned and may in fact be a clone herself. Apparently, this revelation is completely derivative of Gen 13, but as someone who never read that series, I found this to be a very cool twist. According to the solicit, Rose also has some secrets about her origin to discover. It's hard to recommend that any new readers pick up this issue at the end of the series in the midst of such chaos, but it is certain that anybody who has been following the series up to this point will be eager to read the conclusion.

First Time to Print Issues

Arkham Unhinged #14 will be out this week. I've followed the series digitally ever since BatWatch has been up and running, but these issues came out before BatWatch premiered, so I know not what to expect. The solicit says it flashes back to some of the early days of Batman and Talia, and in the present, Talia takes time to visit Bruce while he speaks in Metropolis. My experience with Arkham Unhinged has been overwhelmingly negative, but this issue sounds like it might be worth some money to hardcore Bruce and Talia fans. Batman/Talia fans really need a portmanteau name. If Batman/Wonder Woman fans can be Batwondies, then Batman/Talia fans should be Batalias.

Trades

Batman, Incorporated Vol 1: Demon Star comes out this week collecting the first seven issues of the current volume of Batman, Incorporated. I do not think I need to tell you anything about this historic series based on the amount of coverage it has already received. Anybody who is a big Morrison (former writer of Rebellion's 2000AD and Batman and current writer of Batman, Incorporated) fan or who enjoys collecting important comic arcs should buy this trade if they have not already purchased the individual issues.

Batman: Death by Design is released once more this week. This original graphic novel actually came out a year ago, but it is getting reprinted for what I believe is its third edition this week. This story is set in an alternate universe which is perhaps best described as neoclassical having a generally thirties feel but some hints of a more modern world. The art is done purely by pencils, and it is mostly black and white though some color pencils are added to the mix. The story revolves around Gotham architecture, a series of white collar crimes, and a new player who might be friend or foe of the Bat. I actually did a review of this the last time it came out which you can read Here, but to summarize it, Death by Design is a beautifully rendered book with a lousy story. It has several good ideas in the mix, but the good points are mostly sabotaged by poor execution and sloppy writing. I would only recommend purchase if you are so in love with the art that you feel you must own it or if you have a lot of loose money.

The Ravagers Vol 1: The Kids from NOWHERE is the first The Ravagers collection, and it will also be out this week. I'll probably do a review on it Wednesday, but in short, you might want to check it out if you are a big fan of teen superhero teams.

Guest Appearances

Want to see Terra finally give Deathstroke his comeuppance for his manipulation of her two reboots ago? Well, you might get the chance in Deathstroke #20 for Rose Wilson and The Ravagers will be making an appearance in that book. Apparently, some of them also appeared in last month's Deathstroke. This story occurs after The Ravagers #12, so we know at least most of The Ravagers survive.

Finally, Catwoman supposedly betrays her teammates in Justice League of America #3 this week though I don't really buy that.

I suspect that is enough to keep any Bat fan busy tomorrow.

Whatever Happened to the Human Cockroach?

Just a quick reminder, the News Page of BatWatch features daily news updates. Yesterday alone, nine news articles were added to BatWatch. Also, I uploaded a few new images in the Batman Beyond, Batwing, and Batwoman image galleries.

Scott's Skitter

Scott Lobdell is a divisive writer. Some comic readers consider him to have great skills while others consider him to be a hack. I'm somewhere in the middle. I really enjoyed his work on RHATO, but I've found his run on Teen Titans to be disappointing to put it kindly.

Regardless of your opinion of Lobdell's accomplishments, there is one quirk about Lobdell's writing process that is not disputed. Mr. Lobdell is not a planner. By his own admission, Lobdell likes to make things up as he goes along, and he does not have long term plans for his characters, teams and series. Fans of Lobdell claim that this approach keeps things fresh and chaotic, and while critics will agree that Lobdell's comics are unpredictable, they say his stories often fail to come together in any sort of meaningful way. (We're looking at you, The Culling)

One subject which appears to highlight the problems of poor planning is Skitter. Skitter was introduced at the beginning of the DCNU as a new member for the Teen Titans. In interviews around the launch of the New 52, Lobdell said he wanted a character who did not look like a regular kid. He wanted someone who stood out from the crowd. As an insectoid girl with two extra arms, claws, glowing eyes, and eighteen inch long hair standing straight up, it's fair to say that Lobdell accomplished his mission, but to what purpose? Her use through the DCNU makes it seem as if Lobdell wrote her into existence one night, fell asleep, woke up the next day, and said, “Who is this chick and what the heck am I supposed to do with her?”

Click Here To Read the Rest of the Article

More Commentary Articles:

Is Red Robin a Villain or Just a Boob?

Why Does Gail Simone Have Such a Loyal Following?

Tweets of the Week 4/5/13

Today is Sunday when we take some time to look at some of the most interesting tweets shared by comic book creators and commentators. Before we get into that, let me remind you that news articles are added to the News Page of BatWatch everyday, so check that out if you are interested in the latest Bat happenings. Also, I added about twenty pictures to the Batman Image Gallery, so make sure to scope that out if you like cool Batman art.

Without further ado, let's kick this pig.

Alex Antone (editor of Batman Beyond, Legends of the Dark Knight, Arrow, and Scooby-Doo, Wear Are You?) celebrates the success of Adventures of Superman by sharing a quote and link.

Antone: “"If this is a sign of what DC’s digital comics have to offer, then sign us up immediately for more of the same." http://behindthepanels.net/review-adventures-of-superman-1/ …”

JimZub (former writer of Skullkickers and current writer of Mighty Skullkickers and Dynamite's Pathfinder) gives us a little taste of what we can expect from his upcoming Legends of the Dark Knight run.

JimZub: “I love how the background is stationary as Harley and Batman move through it in this action sequence. Love it! pic.twitter.com/6g4DhwDBb4”

TheBatman (the most popular Batman on Twitter) shares some wisdom.

Batman: “There is justice in every man. And it stirs when you put a batarang in his hand.”

Peter Krause (former penciler of Metropolis SCU and The Power of Shazam and current artist for Thrillbent's Insufferable) promos a website you might want to check out.

Krause: “Every day is Free Comic Book Day at http://thrillbent.com .”

Greg Capullo (former penciler for Image's Spawn and current cover artist for Batman) drops a panel on us from Zero Year.

Capullo: “This was no easy panel #fb pic.twitter.com/JJ07Qk5ok5”

Kyle Higgins (former writer of Gates of Gotham and current writer of Nightwing) girlfriend, Jen Aprahamian, provides solid grounds for a break up.

Aprahamian: “I think @KyleDHiggins might break up with me because I'm ok with midichlorians as explanative elements.”

ComicBookResources was sharing some of the best cosplay of Free Comic Book Day including a superwoman who found her match and a sweet looking Red Hood.

CBR: “Supergirl with her Superman on #FCBD http://on.cbr.cc/10dLouC  /via @ChrisEliopoulos” and “The Red Hood. http://on.cbr.cc/15gXOtn  #FCBD”

Nathan Fairbairn (former artist of Swamp Thing and current artist of Batman, Incorporated) proves his child is destined to be a con artist, and I don't mean a comic con artist.

Faribairn: “A brilliant forgery by the boy: pic.twitter.com/KMPXtHGrdO”

ComicVine had a lot of nice Bat art in their weekly picture dump.

CV: “Awesome Art Picks: @PaoloMRivera @RyanOttley @f_francavilla @ToddNauck @Demonpuppy @marcio_takara @RobertAtkinsArt http://www.comicvine.com/articles/awesome-art-picks-iron-man-batman-magneto-and-more/1100-146502/ …”

Finally, Ivan Cohen (former editor of Generations III and Big Daddy Danger and current writer of Green Lantern: The Animated Series) tweets a hauntingly beautiful song.

Cohen: “@rgluckst Have you heard this? Tom Jones covers Leonard Cohen... http://youtu.be/3JWiPFT0v2c”

Catch everybody later!

Slight Site Improvements

Hey Bat Fans,

I have tons of plans for improving BatWatch. Sadly, I do not have enough time to do all I have in mind quickly, but I'm making progress little by little. This week, I've been working on refining my Bat news searching techniques. I think I already have the best news for the Bat Family on the net, but I still find myself occasionally missing an important story, and I want to minimize that as much as possible. My new methods should lead to more detailed updates on specific Batman comic titles including digital firsts, the upcoming Arkham and Blackgate games, Beware the Batman, Teen Titans Go, and Batman movies. Also, in light of the upcoming Batman/Superman title, I will begin to cover Superman news, but it will be much, much less iin depth than the Batman news. I'm just going to have my ear to the ground for the big Superman stories. Yesterday was the first day with the new news parameters, so head over to the News Section to catch up with the latest. It has already expanded the scope and depth of BatWatch coverage.

Also, I'm going to start uploading some new images to the galleries. I added just a few images to the Batgirl Gallery, so check that out if you are interested. If you've never checked out out galleries for all the various members of the Bat Clan, then you are really missing out. You can find the links to the different galleries at the top of the page.

Catch everybody later.

Commentary: Batman in Walmart

Just a quick reminder that you can always catch up with the latest Bat news on the News Page.

This whole thing started on my twenty-eighth birthday. My lovely girlfriend Mary Jane loves getting me gifts, and so a couple of months ago, I found myself unwrapping several boxes full of various trinkets that made her think of me. One of these was a juice bottle with a nozzle in the shape of Batman's head. Ridiculous? Yes. A tad demeaning and juvenile? Perhaps. Did I drink it? Absolutely!

As I sat there trying to gain suction on the poorly designed bottle so that I could suck out the sickeningly sweet, artificially flavored with 100% unnatural ingredients fruit concoction, I found myself thinking about just how completely Batman has saturated our culture. There I was, a grown man, greedily sucking down a somewhat disgusting fruit drink from a container made for five year olds, yet I found myself delighted just because the bottle happened to be shaped like Batman. What's wrong with me?

What exactly is wrong with me? Well, that's a question for another time, but I found myself wondering just how much Batman has seeped into pop culture and consumer products. I've seen Batman on toothpaste, coffee mugs, soap, T-shirts, pants, jackets, coffee tables, tote bags, watches, and magazines. Batman has been used to sell just about everything, and I decided it was my mission to measure just how deeply Batman has become ingrained in our culture and commerce. To measure this, I went to the mecca of American pop culture and commerce, Walmart.

I vowed that I would walk through every aisle of Walmart and chronicle each toy, movie, ball and shoe that bears the Bat symbol. Would I find a Bat item on every aisle? That seemed unlikely. Would I find Bat swag in every section? That seemed plausible, but just how far does the shadow of the Bat reach?

The Quest Begins

Entering Walmart, I immediately stumbled upon gold as I found double DKR's in Redbox, The Dark Knight Rises and the Animated adaption of The Dark Knight Returns.

I had already mentally charted my course from there. The plan was to travel the outer rim of the store and then work my way inwards marking down all Bat items along the way. I would go through the pharmacy section first where I expected little in the way of Bat items. Perhaps I might find some Bat vitamins, but it seemed unlikely, but beyond, there was the bath and body section where I would no doubt find soaps, toothbrushes, toothpaste, and many more hygienic items geared towards kids that tricky mothers could use to lure their young ones into cleaning themselves. I would then enter what I expected to be a desert for Bruce Wayne memorabilia for I had little hope of finding Bat merch in the pet section or the garden section. However, I had high hopes to find treasures in the car department and sporting goods. I had great faith that I would find much to sustain my love for the Bat.

I was completely wrong.

Click Here To Read the Rest of the Article.

Featured Review: Detective Comics #20

King for a Day

It's time for more na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na na, Batman! Introductions like that are why I should not write intros right after waking up.

John Layman (current writer of Image's Chew, IDW's Mars Attacks and Detective Comics) has been a blast on Detective Comics, and though we actually have several extremely talented writers working on Bat books these days, I think Layman is my favorite. I'm delighted that he delivers a more or less finished story in every book while building larger arcs between books. It's must be a delicate balance to write, but the satisfaction of having a completed case in each issue makes it well worth the extra work. Now, we are at the conclusion of the Emperor Penguin story arc, and somehow, our beloved thug who made it to the big time goes from being a trim classy looking guy with a bad haircut to a blue, muscle bound brute with a bad haircut. It looks like some twists are in store for both us and Batman in this issue, and I'm not completely convinced that I am on board with those twists, but I am intrigued.

Does Emperor Penguin feel the cold hard hand of justice or does this story leave readers out in the cold?

In this issue, Penguin is set free and Batman takes on a mutated Emperor Penguin.

A Justification for Big Blue

My biggest concern going into this issue was how Ogilvy transformed from a run of the mill human to a big blue metahuman bruiser. I originally thought that his transformation was going to be a by product of Penguin's plan for revenge. You know, it could have run the typical, “Let's kill him by dunking him in a vat of experimental chemicals. Oh no! He's transforming!” That scenario has been done countless times, so I was hoping it would not be the case here. Alternatively, it seemed like a possibility that Ogilvy might have always been a metahuman, and he might have kept it a secret in order to appear as a non-threat, but if that were the case, then Ogilvy would have had a secret advantage the whole time he made his play for Gotham, so it would have made his success slightly less impressive.

Thankfully, the real scenario turned out to fit neither of these templates. Rather than his mutation being something that happened to Ogilvy, Ogilvy was the driving force behind these mutations. Many of the pieces that had been left dangling throughout the story were all tied up in Ogilvy's transformation for he was secretly trying to test out various chemical enhancers over these past six issues. His final form was caused from a mix of Man-Bat formula, venom and some plant mutation by Poison Ivy. I know for certain that Poison Ivy and the Man-Bat formula were shown in the comics, and I believe Ogilvy also hit STAR Labs in a past issue which is where he stole the venom, so it was rather nice that the clues were laid out before us the entire time. By transforming himself, Ogilvy just solidifies himself as a self-determined and fearsome villain willing to do whatever it take to hold on to power.

To Read the Rest of the Review, Click Here.

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Detective Comics #20

Worlds' Finest #12

Batwing #20

Legends of the Dark Knight #45 - #47

Li'l Gotham #9