#morrisonbats

Batman 670

The Resurrection of Ra’s al Ghul is not a very good story. It’s kind of lousy. It stinks. What could,and should, have been a pretty epic story about returning one of Batman’s greatest foes to life ends up being…a fairly botched story full of weird reveals (Ra’s al Ghul’s father is alive! It’s The Sensei, who has been at war with Ra’s! Ra’s has ANOTHER son, and he’s albino!) Add to that inconsistent (and sometimes downright awful) art; Damian’s outfit changes issue-to-issue, and Ra’s doesn’t look remotely the same from artist to artist. Plus, Ryan Benjamin is easily one of the WORST artists to ever work in comics…and he will be doing an issue of Batman soon. There’s also the factor that Tim Drake is in the midst of his worst era as the mopey, death-obsessed kid. Damian is also inconsistently written (and at times looks to be the same age as Tim.) The bright spot throughout here is Fabian Nicieza’s Nightwing.

But none of this is Grant Morrison. This is one of the only times what seems to be an editorial mandate has affected or will affect Morrison’s tenure on Batman. Morrison has said himself that he’s not a fan of Ra’s al Ghul, and actually admitted he thought he should probably have stayed dead. Whoever cooked up this story with its soap opera plot twists was probably not Grant Morrison. But he does his best to work with what he’s got.  Thematically, there isn’t much to connect with Morrison’s larger oeuvre. But we’ll dig in where we can.

Worth noting is that this is Tony Daniel’s premiere on Batman, as well as colorist Guy Major. I note the colorist because it is a step down from JH Williams and Andy Kubert collaborator Dave Stewart. Batman’s costume is almost green as opposed to the deep blue of Kubert’s run on the book. The colors appear much more subdued and sometimes muddled. Before now the colors that have defined Morrison's run have generally been rather bright and contrasting. As for Tony Daniel himself,well, he’s okay. He isn’t the storyteller that either Williams or Kubert are, but this issue is clear enough. He’s not the best at drawing lively figures, but it’s not terrible. At the very least, he does some very iconic shots of Batman striking from the shadows which work very effectively. 

The only things that really serve to connect this story to Morrison’s larger body of work are the inclusion of Damian and his interactions with the larger Batfamily. This crossover is really the first time he and Dick interact and that does inform what will come later—but that’s not even in Morrison’s issues. One of the only things, thematically, that I can really pull from this issue is  Ching stating (from the Book of Changes), “The superior man thinks of evil that will come and guards against it.” That speaks for both the crossover beginning here as well as everything Batman will face afterward.

Batman 671

Guy Major’s colors are  a little better in this issue, Batman’s a little more blue at least. But still, the colors lack the vibrancy of what came before. There’s even less to analyze in this issue in term’s of Morrison’s Batman mission than the last. But, it’s not a bad Batman story. Morrison has a clear grasp on who Ra’s is, and the character dynamics are well done. Morrison is always good at making clear and dynamic characters.

Although Sensei being revealed as Ra’s’ father is a ridiculous revelation, the fight that ensues between he and Batman does have shades of things to come. First, the Sensei says he can only keep up his crazy stamina that allows him to move at super human speeds for two minutes. Then declares, “Fortunately, I need only one to break you!” He then proceeds to impale Batman with his staff shouting in victory, “You trained for decades? I’ve had centuries!!” 

After this, Batman falls over in pain, but then rips out the staff and bludgeons the sensei with it. Sensei asks, “what do you think you’re doing?” I don’t know how this makes any sense other than to give Batman the opening to say something badass, which he does, by responding “Lasting longer than a minute!” In a very well rendered panel where he is draped in shadow and knocks the Sensei out.

First, this confrontation illustrates for us a defining character trait for Morrison’s Batman: his unending drive. He will overcome any odds—death, being lost in time, being buried alive, losing his mind—through sheer force of will and determination. He is a force of nature, unwilling to give up or blink in the face of evil. As long as he can breathe, as long as he can function, he will fight to do what he has to do, to combat the forces of evil. 

Another echo of things to come is Sensei’s declaration that he has had centuries to train. Just as Batman is now facing a criminal force that has been around much longer than he, he will go onto battle another force of evil that has been around for centuries. This fight, then, shows in microcosm a theme that Morrison will go on to play with—Batman facing an ancient enemy, more experienced, more powerful than he is. The result is the same. Just you know, he lasts a little longer than a minute.

Batman 667

This issue is the start of the “Black Glove” conspiracy, and the Club of Heroes three-issue story arc. What on first reading seemed like a throwaway story, so much so that when my comic store screwed up and didn’t save issue 668 for me, I didn’t bother purchasing it or reading it until much later. Ultimately, it is incredibly important. And incredibly rich. While important for the larger narrative, its whodunnit murder mystery vibe and cast of characters are all engaging in and of themselves. With breathtaking art from JH Williams III, it is a pure delight to read. 

So let’s dig in thematically and in the context of Morrison’s larger narrative. Obviously, we know how important the Black Glove becomes—and we begin seeing the larger forces at work against Batman. On the first page we are greeted with the haunting image of the roulette wheel (another recurring image) colored black and red. Life and death. The mysterious black glove boasts, “This weekend the black glove settles the age-old question once and for all. Which is strongest? Good? Or Evil?” In many ways, as I’ve said before, Morrison’s turn on Batman is very much about that struggle of good and evil. 

Another important concept at play throughout this arc, and this first issue especially, is the iconic, mythological nature of Batman. Batman as symbol, Batman as archetype. This club of heroes is a group of men from around the world inspired by Batman—inspired by his commitment to the fight against crime and against evil. What Morrison is toying with in his entire run of Batman—the entire run, even through to Batman Inc, is the concept of Batman being more than just a man. For Morrison, comics are “more real” than our own existence, lasting for generations, becoming something beyond just characters in a story—ideas, myths, ideals. It calls to mind a scene from Batman Begins, where upon returning to Gotham, Bruce shares his plans with Alfred.

“People need dramatic examples to shake them out of apathy and I can't do that as Bruce Wayne. As a man, I'm flesh and blood, I can be ignored, I can be destroyed; but as a symbol... as a symbol I can be incorruptible, I can be everlasting.”

By becoming a symbol, Batman becomes a model for these international heroes. And while I don’t think Morrison had planned Batman Inc. at this point, the seeds are definitely planted. I have no doubt that looking back on this issue, and thinking about what he had done in terms of exploring the enduring nature and myth of Batman through to the end of Batman and Robin that Morrison simply extended the metaphor. Indeed, Bruce Wayne as a character probably looked at this experience as a model for Batman Inc, as well. It’s also worth noting that like the three ghosts of Batman show possible distortions of the Dark Knight, each of the club of heroes are examples of different paths Batman could have taken. He could have been committed—like the Musketeer, given up, cashed in and let himself go like the Legionary, become at odds and estranged from his son/sidekick. Interestingly, one fate he does end up sharing. Like the original Knight, Batman dies and is succeeded by his former sidekick. Thus proving that “Batman and Robin will never die!” These symbols are largerthan any one man—an eternal idea.

One of the most enjoyable things about this whole story arc is how well Morrison defines each character; each one with a unique personality and each one incredibly unique. Another highlight is, of course, Williams’ astounding artwork. One of the most creative artists in the business, Williams plays with panel design and even the titles in delightful ways. He is also a master of using color. Keep your eye open for the recurring motif of red and black throughout these three issues. As well as checker patterns. I love how Williams utilizes the glove shape to help illustrate when the Black Glove strikes—indicating he is responsible for the explosion of the plane, and that now Batman is in his grip! 

Perhaps the most affecting moment is the Legionary’s death. In an impotent attempt to fight off his murderer, he remembers his glory days in a flash, and for a brief moment becomes the young, athletic, heroic man he once was (rendered in the style of a silver age artist), complete with adoring women. It’s a heartbreaking spread. As the issue comes to a close things don’t look so good for our heroes on “The Island of Mister Mayhew.”

Batman 668

The issue opens with a flashback, and Williams once again channeling the silver age. The pages themselves are made to look like an old, beat-up comic book, complete with stains and an attempt to recreate the newsprint paper—the white has gone yellow and the opposite page’s ink running through to the other side. A solid reminder of how Morrison is scooping up all of Batman’s history. Since I didn’t mention it last issue: the Club of Heroes is lifted from old Batman issues, a “sequel” to “The Batmen of all Nations.” Of course, it wouldn’t be interesting if all of these characters were like they were then. Just as Batman has changed since the 50s, so too have all of the other heroes. Thankfully, Morrison leaves it up to us to imagine what has led each of these people to where they are in their lives—to their new costumes and even new identities. Have they gone through the kinds of evolutions and reinventions that our favorite super heroes have? It seems they have. 

Willaims does a great job highlighting the red and black. Once we return to the present day, the club surrounds the dead body of the Legionary, who is in color, while the rest of the group is black and gray; except for the reds which stand out all the more. Striking and thematically resonant. Also worth noting is that the Glove motif continues—during the climactic double page spread the black glove rends the bat insignia in two, while Batman is framed in the shape of the arm.

In the colored art (this is just the inks, but look how gorgeous) Williams again highlights the red and black--the bat insignia and the action inside is all red, while Batman, trapped within the Black Glove is...well, black.

The Black Glove also reaches out to hold the burned corpse of Wingman—blocking out the memory of the ‘Silver Age’ Wingman. 

This storyline is a classic “mystery house” kind of detective story—almost a Scooby-Doo haunted mansion story. So we get to see Batman putting on his detective hat, which is also nice. I particularly like seeing Robin do some deductive reasoning here when he and Squire get separated from the rest. During all this, each of the Club of Heroes continue to be compelling and interesting as they squabble. I liked seeing that Batman respects all of these men as capable crime fighters, despite seeming to be dysfunctional.

Batman 669

Aren’t satisfying conclusions just wonderful? Things were coming to a head last issue and as this one begins tensions continue to mount. Will the Knight get the bomb inside of him removed? Who will die next? What exactly happened to collapse the club of heroes? WHO is the murderer?? All of these questions are answered. The Batmen of all nations show their stuff this issue; Man-of-Bats displays both medical skill and performs a great feat of strength. El Guacho saves Batman’s life. Squire helps to save Raven Red. It’s all exciting stuff.

Knight and Man-of-Bats have an interesting conversation at the top of this issue.

Man of Bats: "When you’re a kid, all adults can seem like super-heroes, but they’re just people. Sure, the papers called us the “Batmen of Many Nations”…but we were really just a bunch of tough guys who’d heard about the new kind of man in Gotham City…We were all inspired in different ways—some saw a chance for redemption, some were thrill-seekers, some were rich and bored…but “heroes”? Only a little kid would ever think we were heroes.”

There’s a lot to unpack in that little soliloquy. First of all, we return to the theme of Batman-as-symbol and inspiration. But there’s also the theme of heroism; what makes a hero? Man-of-Bats seems to have become rather cynical, perhaps due to his own failures, perhaps personally and “professionally.” But can one be imperfect and still be a hero? Considering how each of these seeming washouts gets a chance to redeem themselves (the ones who survive) I’d say the answer is “yes.” A hero is more than the sum of his parts. This plays into RIP, as well. Bruce Wayne is not a perfect man, he gets beaten down, he screws up (personally and professionally), his mind is broken, but ultimately he perseveres and proves his heroic nature. 

The villain of the island turns out to be Mayhew himself. As Batman catches up to him, Mayhew explains to him, “Money changes everything—that’s what you’ll never understand. People like me live beyond the laws, beyond morality.”  Ironic, isn’t it? Batman certainly does operate outside the law, but he has a very strict moral code. Another mirror image. This time of what Bruce Wayne could have been.

Batman 664

This story arc is where the real meat of Morrison’s ongoing meganarrative begins. What preceded was prelude. Standalone stories setting the stage for who Batman is, positioning the characters, presenting the world he is living in so that Morrison can move forward. In “The Three Ghosts of Batman,” Grant Morrison is beginning his long game. And it’s where things begin to get a little complicated, story-wise.

First, I want to mention Bruce Wayne’s declaration that he’s “much cooler” than James Bond. Batman is getting back in touch with his international playboy, and setting out on a globetrotting romance with Jezebel Jet. In a scene that, I’m sure intentionaly, recalls James Bond’s skiing fight, Bruce launches one of his ski poles at a helicopter, thinking it was a potential assassin. In an interesting about face, Bruce is cooler than Batman in this issue—Batman ultimately gets his tushy handed to him. Later, In an attempt to have a heart-to-heart, Jezebel tries to commiserate with Bruce on the loss of his parents, to which Bruce responds, “It was a long time ago…I got over it.” The art seems to imply this is a hollow declaration. And considering how things develop with Jezebel Jet, I imagine this is her beginning to plant seeds of doubt in Bruce’s mind about whether he truly needs Batman.

Cut back to Gotham, and Batman is investigating a prostitution ring that has taken a murderous turn—and the police are involved. Batman comes face-to-face with a hulking Batman whose mask bears more than a passing resemblance to Bane.  “The monster’s a cop,” declares one of the women. A fantastically choreographed action scene follows, ending with the BatBane stomping on Batman’s back. In the midst of the fight Batman recalls, “I’m thinking about the files in the Black Casebook.” What is this mysterious black casebook? We have to wait and find out, because Batman has passed out with a footprint on his back.

Batman 665

This issue is titled the Black Casebook, and we as readers are left to wonder just what the heck is going on. I vividly recall feeling completely lost at this point, thinking I was lacking vital information.  I was; Morrison hadn’t revealed everything to us yet at this point. I was desperate for answers and felt as if I was just not brought up enough on Batman lore. But this is Grant Morrison introducing some new wrinkles to the Batmythos.

As he is recuperating in the Wayne penthouse, Bruce has a hallucination of the two fake Batmen that he’s faced and a shadowy third figure, with Damian standing in front of them, his hair in the shape of horns. Damian informs Bruce, “The third ghost is the worst of them all.” You may be saying “what?” and that’s the exact response we should be having at this point. It’s worth pointing out that although there is a third Batimpostor that shows up, the silhouette in Bruce’s dream more resembles Dr. Hurt’s Thomas Wayne Bat getup. Was it just because they hadn’t designed the last one yet? Hard to say, since he shows up in the next issue.

Upon waking up, Bruce tells Alfred and Tim that he thought the BaneBat was going to break his back, just like Bane had. He also notes the resemblance, “as if he was designed to trigger my worst fears.” He doesn’t know how right he is. After passing out again, Bruce comes to and asks Alfred about the Black Casebook. 

Bruce: Vampires, flying saucers, time travel…All the things we’d seen that didn’t fit and couldn’t be explained went in the Black Casebook.

Alfred: Reading between the lines of what I’ve already copied, I’d hazard a guess that you and Master Dick were often the victim of one too many exposures to Scarecrow gas and Joker toxin.”

Morrison does something devilishly clever here. He is essentially folding in all of Batman’s history—including the ultra bizarre 50s and 60s stories that involved time travel, weird science (like being flattened into two dimensional shapes) and making them a part of our modern Batman’s lived experience. How? They are the Black Casebook—the unexplained phenomenon. Maybe illusions brought on by too many mind-altering experiences. We’ll learn more about what some of those experiences were.

Bruce explains that one night, he encountered three different versions of himself. A killer Batman with a gun, a bestial Batman, and the third “sold his soul to the devil and destroyed Gotham.” A grim portent of things to come, as the devil is essentially what Batman is to come up against for the next few years.

Over the next couple pages, we get to see Tim Drake get into some action, which is quite nice for me as a big fan of his. A lack of Tim Drake is something that disappointed me a little throughout the whole run. Ultimately, Batman defeats the Banebat, or at the least, Batman and Robin get away and temporarily stop him. Later, Batman and Commissioner Gordon talk about something eating away at the heart of Gotham. Their conversation also alludes to Morrison’s much grander designs.

Gordon: Look at you, all beat up to hell. Why did you have to choose an enemy that’s as old as time and bigger than all of us, Batman?

Batman: Same reason you did, Jim. I figured I could take him. This isn’t over.

Batman is up against something much bigger than one man. He has chosen to take on crime. To take on evil. 

A brief epilogue reveals Damian is still alive, and Talia is still plotting to have her bizarre little family become whole. In the mean time, someone wearing a black glove is spying on Jezebel Jet and Bruce Wayne.

Batman 666

One of the pleasures of going back and rereading this story knowing much more than I did at the time is being able to appreciate this issue and its significance to the overall story. At the time it seemed like a complete non sequitur, its plot impenetrable. Looking back, it was a clever way to both have fun with the “666” designation of the issue and plant some seeds for what’s to come by skipping ahead into a bleak future. Damian has become Batman, Gotham is descending into hell. The issue opens with a brief overview of “The legend of the Batman…Who he is and how he came to be…” A direct callback to Batman issue 1, which first revealed Batman’s origin. The origin of Batman is in itself a reoccurring image and motif throughout this run. To have the origin of a completely different Batman, though, highlights the sense of history that Morrison is playing with in everything he does on Batman.

Grant Morrison also introduces the characters of Professor Pyg and Flamingo in passing. Probably just throwaway names to give this future world some reality. But it’s fun to look back and see how he picked up and fleshed out these little seeds.There’s even some subtle references to the idea that Dick Grayson had  been Batman for a time before this future.

The villain of this piece is the third ghost of Batman who, as Damian describes it, “claimed he was the biblical Anti-Christ and promised to return to Gotham one day, on the eve of the battle of Armageddon.” Damian also ponders to himself, “I know the devil exists, or at least something exists which might as well be the devil. I’ve met him. ” The hell imagery, the references to the devil, these all play into the larger story Morrison is telling. For all intents and purposes, Dr. Hurt is a manifestation of the devil, an embodiment of pure evil. The third ghost of Batman is his minion, “his son.” 

“Destiny had plans for me. And I prayed and I prayed until he came…the old man, the dragon…He came with wings of black skin like a bat and anointed me his messiah.”

Barbatos? The hyper-adapter? Dr. Hurt? Oh yes…these images of demons and hell and manifestations of evil are a key component of everything to come. The stumbling block here is the fact that it seems that Damian has sold his soul to the devil. Whereas Bruce never stops fighting darkness, Damian was born as part of a lineage of darkness. While Bruce Wayne lives on the border between light and dark, utilizing the dark as a cloak— a tool—it seems that Damian lives in the dark, and struggles toward the light. Without Bruce or Dick to guide him, Damian has to stumble and find his own way. He has to struggle against evil from within the grips of evil.

Batman 657

If I’m not mistaken the Batmobile that is half-finished in this issue is the one that ultimately reveals in Batman and Robin—the flying one. A little bit of the son finishing the father’s work maybe?

This issue is all about Damian getting to know his father. Naturally, being an assasin-raised child, he wants to prove his worth to his dad by beating him in a fight. And when he can’t do that, he sets his sights to the usurper—Tim Drake, Batman’s adopted son. The two from this point on have an ongoing rivalry. Fair enough, given that Damian nails Tim with a sucker punch off a robot dinosaur that leaves him seriously injured. It’s typical sibling rivalry gone extra-large. Tim doesn’t know how to react to this new encroachment on their lives and isn’t able to process it. The frustration he feels is only exacerbated by Damian being a homicidal maniac. 

There’s quite a bit of humor mined in Damian’s interaction with the family here. He’s the ultimate spoiled brat. Throwing food, demanding to know why he can’t have a laptop or his sword. Like ten year old boys do, you know.

The interchange about “novelty act” criminals from the henchmen is pretty funny. in a world like this, it just becomes an object of casual conversation. Damian’s makeshift Robin costume is hideous, but the hood will eventually be worked into Quitely’ great design for Damian-Robin.  The only other thing I can comment on, other than gushing over Kubert’s art, is the Batcave has all of our favorite Batcave accoutrements—the robot dinosaur, the giant penny, and old and alternative costumes in trophy cases. Notice the old Bat costume in the background—a reference to an old Batman story where Thomas Wayne wore that to a masquerade party. It will come into play much later. 

Batman 658

Andy Kubert does amazing work on the army of Man-Bats. They are frightening and intimidating. And they all look great. This issue does good work making Damian a little bit more sympathetic following the straight up demon-child he was last issue. The zeal with which he beat up Robin and killed the Spook stem from the simple childish desire to impress and connect with his father and to make him proud. He asks questions, trying to get to know Bruce, hoping that this figure is everything he dreamed he would be. It probably tears hims apart that Bruce isn’t the hardcore assassin he maybe expected. The no-killing thing seems like a weakness to him. It’s actually kind of cute when Batman reveals his rocket and Damian is clearly overwhelmed by how cool his dad is.

Ultimately, Talia proves herself to be as manipulative and cold as her father before her, utilizing Damian as a tool to get what she wants. Damian is clearly crushed when he finds that his parents won’t end up together. “Do I have to choose? I would much rather we were all together.” he pleads when Talia asks who he would rather be with. And he’s clearly betrayed when Talia blows the ship apart. He was a completely unwitting pawn. Damian thought he was meeting his father—that he maybe was going to complete his family. 

The ship explodes, and Batman steps out unscathed, holding the hood that Damian wore. For many readers at the time, they probably thought this might be the last time we saw this character. Surely, no other writers would pick him up. And Morrison wouldn’t stick around long enough to do anything else with him. That’s just not the kind of thing you do to Batman…you can’t stick him with a son. Therefore, at the end of this issue, all is as it was. The status quo is restored. 

Batman 663

After several months hiatus, Morrison’s Batman series came back. With… Well. Let’s just say, it makes sense that Morrison’s success was in comics and not in novels. There’s interesting stuff here, but the writing is pure purple prose. Morrison is overly indulgent in adverbs and flurid description. Perhaps he’s purposefully channeling old pulp novels. But it makes for an eye-rolling reading experience.

As does his indulgence in his exploration of who the Joker is. Building explicitly off his vision of the Joker in Arkham Asylum, Morrison describes Joker as a series of “super personalities” with which he constantly reinvents himself. Not a horrible idea—Morrison wants to explain why he has been portrayed as the Cesar Romero type as well as the homicidal maniac type. He has been through many different personalities. But Morrison’s prose is painful in its descriptions as it tries to paint Joker as an embodiment of pure evil. 

But let’s focus on other things. There’s a lot this issue sets up, which is why I didn’t just skip it (I didn’t feel like reading it). The “red and black, life and death, the joke and the punchline” theme will return and is a reoccurring motif through RIP. As is this version of the Joker. “The Clown at Midnight.” This version is pure murder, finding humor in just straight up death. A very distillation of how he is an opposite of Batman. Typical Morrison—pitting archetypes against one another. Batman, the unstoppable fighter of evil. And the Joker. An embodiment of chaos and evil, a worshipper at the foot of horror.  He isn’t a literal embodiment of evil (that’s Dr. Hurt) but he is a student of it. An opposite to Batman. Perhaps its more chaos versus control. Joker revels in evil because it creates chaos. Batman is obsessively seeking to control the chaos of the world. With Hurt being Morrison’s embodiment of evil, Joker must stand outside that dichotomy in Morrison’s mind. The lack of personality, the “super personalities” perhaps show Joker as beyond or outside of that good/evil struggle. The fact that Joker ultimately opposes Hurt is worth noting. He uses the good/evil struggle to his own chaotic ends (the red and black) but he himself doesn’t take those colors on.

 Morrison also establishes that Joker has taken in so many toxins and poisons that his blood is literally toxic.  The way that Joker is systematically killing all his former henchmen to prepare for his latest reinvention is pretty inventive. Morrison also presents a really great depiction of Harley Quinn. 

The illustrations that go along with the painful prose were also pretty bad. Muddled, stiff CG. It would have been more bearable if, at least, the art to go along with the story was more interesting or well done. They set the mood, I suppose, but one can have creepy and dark without it being boring to look at. Just a real head scratcher. Maybe this was done last minute to plug holes? Hard to say. Even more astounding because it follows a fill-in run.  As it stands, this issue is a chore to read. It could have been a pretty great comic. But whatever experiment Morrison was pulling, he failed. 

Some analyses imply that the Joker’s super personalities are echoed by Batman in his “backup” personality  of the Batman of Zur-en-Arrh during RIP. An interesting prospect, and one that makes a good deal of sense. Another way Morrison contrasts the two?  Also worth noting is that Joker seems to know what is coming for Batman. The red and black symbolize life and death. Joker alludes to Batman’s origin “a bat in a dream in a window.” Ultimately, Batman has to come face-to-face with his own origins, and at the extreme end, is responsible for his own creation, following his death. 

Life, death, and rebirth are all frequent themes throughout Morrison’s run. Perhaps a commentary on the cyclical nature of comic books. The constant need for reinvention. 

Really? I can’t imagine it getting a ton of hate. I know it’s fairly controversial. I haven’t finished it, to be honest—I stopped reading right Batman and Robin ended because I couldn’t afford it anymore. I just recently finished filling holes in my collections and got the Batman Inc trades, which is prompting me to read it. But I think it’s some really great work. It’s high concept as heck, but I love that. The big themes in comic books are what I most love about it. I think tumblr is the section of fans that want their Batman to be all about the Batman family and crime books all the time…and that’s just not what it is. It’s big iconic superhero bombast dealing with big universal themes using Batman as a tool. I’m looking forward to finishing it up. Thanks for reading, too—I’m really just doing this as an exercise for myself, so having anyone respond is cool!

Batman 655

The start of Morrison’s Batman run proper opens with perhaps one of the best opening scenes I’ve ever encountered in a superhero comic. Commisioner Gordon falling from a great height, a Joker grin plastered over his face—instantly channeling classic, iconic imagery from the Batman mythos. Then we turn the page and we are greeted to one of the best uses of a two-page splash page I can think of. Joker, laughing insanely over the dying body of Batman, while a group of children scream in terror, tied up to a Joker-faced helicopter. “I did it!” cries the Joker, “I finally killed Batman! In front of a bunch of vulnerable, disabled KIDS!!!” That certainly sums up the Joker in one page, doesn’t it?

On top of being a dramatic attention grabber it is an incredibly classic Batman image, drawing upon years of imagery spanning the history of the Batman titles. This is the last time we’ll see a more traditional take on the Joker from Morrison (or any writer for some time except for one great Dini story).  Looking at Kubert’s art, we can get a glimpse of a lot of Morrison’s mission on this title: to homage and incorporate all of Batman’s disparate history. There’s tons of classic Batman imagery crammed into this spread. The Joker-faced copter is almost Silver-Age in its ridiculousness—there’s the Joker in his traditional getup. The clown is also holding a bloody crowbar, whose significance any Batfan is well aware of, while behind Joker is a shattered Batsignal. The cityscape in the background also evokes the dramatic graphical backdrops and gothic imagery that have been a part of the Batman visual identity from the beginning.

It’s mentioned once or twice in this issue that Batman came back so reenergized from his year away and spiritual quest that he has put an end to super crime in the city—with the Joker being the last remnant. Also worth noting: the impostor Batman who shoots Joker in the face here will work into plot lines to come. This is also the first appearance of the Zur-en-Arrh graffiti, which figures prominently in the first couple pages and will be a reoccurring motif throughout the series. For longtime fans well versed in Batman lore this would have been a clear reference to a bizarre silver age story, but I doubt even they could have foreseen what it would lead to. 

I also want to mention how outstanding Andy Kubert’s art is in this book. In only a couple issues he cemented his place as an iconic Batman artist, channeling Jim Lee and Neal Adams in equal measure, but being uniquely his own take on Batman. Looking back, it’s incredibly disappointing he was not on the book longterm, especially during RIP, where the story would have benefitted from a much steadier and experienced hand. Kubert is not only great at the action, but with body language and conveying emotion. Something I can’t say about Tony Daniel’s muddled pencils. But we’ll get to that later. I also can’t go without mentioning his beautiful, gothic version of the city. 

Morrison also introduces the idea that Batman has to relearn how to be Bruce Wayne. A line from Alfred conveys very clear characterization, “That growl in your voice—the one you used to have to practice before you went out as Batman…You’re doing it all the time, sir.”

One of Morrison’s goals is to bring Bruce Wayne back as a central part of the character and the story—to help bring Batman to a more human, centered place. It will also play into things that occur over the course of Batman RIP.

The Roy Lichtenstein inspired pop-art that shows up at the end of this issue and is prominent in the next is no accident and definitely has a creative purpose—several, actually, which will show up in the next issue. But the meat here is that Morrison is by his own admission fascinated with the pop aspect of superheroes—the iconism and imagery. It’s a recurring motif throughout his Batman saga, and informs a lot of his take on Batman and Robin, especially with Quitely in those first few issues. 

Despite the story being called “Batman and Son,” and everyone knowing that, I don’t think ANYONE expected it to be what  the story turned out to be. Maybe the kid would be a hoax, maybe it was just a reference to Robin…but I doubt anyone could have imagined what unfolded with Damian. 

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This first page introduces a new recurring femme fatale, Jezebel Jet. For anyone familiar with the biblical lineage of the name Jezebel, which I wasn’t at the time, the truth of her intentions was likely not a surprise. She’s a welcome inclusion, as her presence sets off a James Bondish relationship of challenging one another, and gives Bruce Wayne some enticing reasons to be Bruce Wayne.

One of the most memorable moments of this issue is Batman’s analysis of the introduction of Talia’s Ninja Man-Bats. A great example of how Morrison approaches the character. He has a very blasé attitude toward the bizarre, and it’s one of the great strengths of this version of the character and makes for many instances of dry humor. The Ninja Man-Bats themselves are a wonderfully bizarre comic book concept that seems out of a different era. But, it’s played with the right amount of drama and humor that it never comes off as camp.

In many ways, this initial story seems to be Morrison’s love letter to the Denny O’Neil/Neal Adams "hairy-chested Neal Adams love god.” That 70s era Batman seems to be the biggest influence on Morrison’s take, especially before RIP. That version, like this one, has a sense of globetrotting adventure. The use of Talia and Man-Bat, both products of that era, testify to the author’s fondness for that take on the character. He can deal with the incredibly bizarre threats outside of the confines of Gotham City, just as easily as he can take on the urban crime. And he isn’t completely miserable or dark. There’s a dark sense of humor to both this version and the Neal Adams era.

The art in the background, on the other hand, calls back to an entirely different era—that of the 60s television show and the books that sprung up around it. They work to great comedic effect. They provide sound effects within the diagetic framework of the book, like in this moment.

Turning back to Batman’s bleak sense of humor, the bit where Bruce reminisces back toward a burnt turkey dinner when he encounters the Man-Bats makes me laugh every time I read this issue.  We also see this version of Batman working as a tactical strategist, thinking and rethinking of plans moments in advance and adapting. Morrison doesn’t seem interested in keeping his Batman grounded in reality, he’s fine with the character being larger than life.