Batman Confidential NOW a mini?

[drwho]

I just noticed the issue I have says 4 of 8. Can anyone confirm if this is in fact now a mini? I really can't believe this book isnt getting sales. A lot better than the Morrison stuff that has been thrown our way and that Grotesk garbage.

[Captain Jim]

I think that just means that this particular story arc is eight issues. As far as I've heard, it's intended to be an ongoing title.

[shaxper]

I wouldn't mind seeing it go, but considering that this first arc is six issues long and that they're doing Joker's origin next, I doubt this thing will wrap up in 8 issues.

[Captain Jim]

I wouldn't mind seeing it go, but considering that this first arc is six issues long and that they're doing Joker's origin next, I doubt this thing will wrap up in 8 issues.

I had forgotten all about that Joker storyline being intended for this title. I believe the announcement said "a future storyline," however, not necessarily the "next."

[shaxper]

I had forgotten all about that Joker storyline being intended for this title. I believe the announcement said "a future storyline," however, not necessarily the "next."

Well, if there were only going to be eight issues, it would pretty much have to be the next one ;)

[rerun]

They should just re-start it and get a decent artist this time. Pretend this first arc didn't happen.

[shaxper]

Pretend this first arc didn't happen.

Seems like that would apply to a lot of high profile DC experiments these days.

[Captain Jim]

Well, if there were only going to be eight issues, it would pretty much have to be the next one ;)

Yeah, well, I think he's wrong on that.

[Captain Jim]

Seems like that would apply to a lot of high profile DC experiments these days.

Good point. :D

[The Punished]

They should just re-start it and get a decent artist this time. Pretend this first arc didn't happen.

I like Portacio's work. I think he is doing a pretty good job. At least the reader knows he is doing the work because of all the previous problems he has had over the years. He is putting out two books worth of art, ie, WetWorks & Batman Confidential.

Some guys, even those related to him by marriage, continue to make excuses why the books they are doing are not being shipped on time...* cough* Jim Lee *cough*

[BeastieRunner]

Mine and all the one's at the shop today said 4 of 8 on the cover. Is Superman Confidential becoming a mini as well?

[Captain Jim]

You're jumping to conclusions. I still think that's referring to the current storyline, not the title.

[Starba]

You're jumping to conclusions. I still think that's referring to the current storyline, not the title.

But the current storyline's only 6 issues, not 8.

[The Xenos]

Wow. I just noticed that myself. Haven't read the issue yet. Weird.

Looking that the June solicits..
http://www.comicbookresources.com/news/newsitem.cgi?id=10049
Issue 6 is coming out in June. It says it's the end of the arc. No issue was solicited for May it seems. There is no listing of it being a mini.

Personally, I was hoping this would take the place of Legends of the Dark Knight (which is now gone) and All Star Batman (which might as well be cancelled too).

Wow. DC just doesn't know what the hell it's doing with its titles. Between this and the &*$# up that is 'All Star'. This is the goddamn Batman for &*$#'s sake.

Well. It could be worse. It could be Wonder Woman.

Hell, I'm not even a retailer (though I have my shop owner's ear) and I'm pretty ticked at DC.

As for the art, it's a little weird, but I like it. I'm enjoying the more Year One / Batman Begins era story too.

[BeastieRunner]

You're jumping to conclusions. I still think that's referring to the current storyline, not the title.

I've never seen a comic in 22 years of collecting number by arc for an ongoing title . . . on the outside. Meaning, maybe the cover says part 4 of the story, but the number up top could be 173. I think it is DC's subtle new way of telling everyone when they're changing something into a mini series now.

[JoeK32880]

I've never seen a comic in 22 years of collecting number by arc for an ongoing title . . . on the outside. Meaning, maybe the cover says part 4 of the story, but the number up top could be 173. I think it is DC's subtle new way of telling everyone when they're changing something into a mini series now.

Dark Horse's Star Wars title, before it became Star Wars Republic, used to do that. Have the storyline number instead of the issue number. In fact, I think that was a common practice with Dark Horse ongoings (Buffy, etc).

[Starba]

If they are in fact cancelling Batman: Confidential early, I won't be too upset. It's pretty ill-advised to have trade-sized arcs on a series that's probably as unreliable as Legends of the Dark Knight, and this one definitely got off on the wrong foot. I personally dropped it off of my pull list after picking up #3 but never getting interested enough to read it. Hopefully they'll reboot it after #8 with 3-issue arcs, max.

[BeastieRunner]

Dark Horse's Star Wars title, before it became Star Wars Republic, used to do that. Have the storyline number instead of the issue number. In fact, I think that was a common practice with Dark Horse ongoings (Buffy, etc).

I thought I edited the post but it should have said something in there somewhere about never seeing it with a DC or Marvel title. Doesn't mean it doesn't happen! :)

[JoeK32880]

I thought I edited the post but it should have said something in there somewhere about never seeing it with a DC or Marvel title. Doesn't mean it doesn't happen! :)

Well, in that case!

Yeah, it's an odd thing to see. Venom had a series of minis that was pretty much a de facto ongoing, but each new mini had new stories/creators and there was no reference to ongoing numbering. That's as close as I can think of.

[BeastieRunner]

Well, in that case!

Yeah, it's an odd thing to see. Venom had a series of minis that was pretty much a de facto ongoing, but each new mini had new stories/creators and there was no reference to ongoing numbering. That's as close as I can think of.

Eeeeeeeewww the 90s! When FC stood for Foil Cover! :p

[Captain Jim]

Personally, I was hoping this would take the place of Legends of the Dark Knight (which is now gone)

Well, that was indeed the intention.

Okay, I haven't been picking this book up, so I have had the disadvantage of not having it in front of me when I responded. And I had forgotten that the first arc has evidently been confirmed as being six issues. But since there has been no announcement that the book is ending (to the contrary, since this Joker origin was just recently announced for an upcoming storyline), I'm still not ready to come to this conclusion.

It is not that unusual to find inaccurate information on the cover of a book. I can't count the number of times I've seen incorrect creative teams listed, for instance. Until I see other evidence to the contrary, I suspect that the person who prepares the covers is acting on the basis of incorrect information. Either this person thinks the book is a mini or they think the arc is lasting eight issues. This should become clear before very long. In the meantime, it's fitting to be puzzled, but probably inappropriate to start broadcasting premature rumors.

[Chris Johnson]

I hope this isn't only a mini, I'm really enjoying it. I especially like the portrayl of Jim Gordon in it and the more mad scientist side of Luthor.

[MichaelMogg]

Wow, that really sucks. I hope they made some kind of printing error, but I doubt it. Chances are, it wasn't selling as well as it should have. :(

[Captain Jim]

Sales on an umbrella title like this tend to go up and down, depending on the popularity of the creators and the quality of the respective stories. I really doubt that even if the sales had been bad on the first arc (and they HAVEN'T been bad) that it would have motivated DC to cancel the title already.

In researching this a bit more, I see this has been a subject of discussion on the Newsarama forums as well. And a number of people there are agreed that this numbering is probably some sort of mistake. That's still my best guess as well.

[Maestro]

Confidential is honestly no different from LOTDK. It will go unnoticed just the same with all the different creative teams

[DCKar2nist]

This months issue is listed as #4 of 8. BC is an ongoing title right? Does that just refer to the current story arc or is this really an LS?

[Rocket13]

DCKar2nist,

There is another thread about this already farther down on the board. Check it out.

[Captain Jim]

DCKar2nist,

There is another thread about this already farther down on the board. Check it out.

Now merged.

[DCKar2nist]

Appreciate it, sorry about that

[EnDwiGast]

I checked the cover of the issue after reading this thread, and it looks like it has been switched to a mini.

[Silverager]

The latest issue of Batman: Confidential I picked up says "4 of 6" (or "5 of 8", I don't have it in front of me) on the cover - has this series been downgraded into a Mini-Series from a Regular? I haven't been crazy about the first storyline, but I thought there might be some better tales down the road...

[Captain Jim]

#7 has now been solicited. I'm still not aware of any definitive answer to this question.

[BeastieRunner]

Well, we should know our answer today as #5 comes out.

[Cayman]

It's probably just the arc. I was under the impression that Batman Confidential was doing fairly well in sales.

[shaxper]

Well, we should know our answer today as #5 comes out.

I guess those Batcaves on Oa get their comics a day early.

[BeastieRunner]

I guess those Batcaves on Oa get their comics a day early.

Indeed.:cool:

I got the day wrong today and my LCS looked at me funny when I came in. :p

[Captain Jim]

Well, we should know our answer today as #5 comes out.

Maybe I'm missing something, but how is this going to tell us anything? (Irregardless of when the book comes out.)

[BeastieRunner]

Maybe I'm missing something, but how is this going to tell us anything? (Irregardless of when the book comes out.)

My idea is that if the cover doesn't say "5 out of 8," it's an on-going but if it does, then it's a mini now. It's still confusing. :confused:

[Guts/Batman]

This news makes me laugh. A lot.

Great news to me. Yes, I am bitter about losing Legends of the Dark Knight, and no, I will not let it go.

[Guts/Batman]

It's probably just the arc. I was under the impression that Batman Confidential was doing fairly well in sales.

12/2006: Batman Confidential #1 — 61,119
01/2007: Batman Confidential #2 — 47,451 (-22.4%)
02/2007: Batman Confidential #3 — 41,109 (-13.4%)

These are very interesting numbers because this puts as one of DC's better selling books. DC on the whole is getting its ass kicked by Marvel.

[Karl O'Neill]

This news makes me laugh. A lot.

Great news to me. Yes, I am bitter about losing Legends of the Dark Knight, and no, I will not let it go.

legends was crap, but gotham knights-The chronicles of bane was good!

[Guts/Batman]

legends was crap, but gotham knights-The chronicles of bane was good!

Legends was alright, but like just about everything; it depends on the story. I preferred Legends because the storylines weren't overly long. I just got sick of 5-6 issue stories.

Gotham Knights needed the mercy killing because it was a haven of horrid storytelling.

[BeastieRunner]

My copy no longer has the "out of" on the front. I wonder if it was a goof? I'm assuming it's still an ongoing.

[Ungoliantschilde]

Thank you, oh Gods of DC comics for making Batman Confidential a mini. Whilce Portacio's interpretation of the Batman is... unique. I'll give him that. Put it this way, the only reason I'm not buying the book is that I don't want to look at it. How the hell did he ever get popular?

[Cayman]

12/2006: Batman Confidential #1 — 61,119
01/2007: Batman Confidential #2 — 47,451 (-22.4%)
02/2007: Batman Confidential #3 — 41,109 (-13.4%)

These are very interesting numbers because this puts as one of DC's better selling books. DC on the whole is getting its ass kicked by Marvel.

Ah, I was thinking it was doing a little better for some reason, but those are still far from cancellation numbers. Plus Andy Diggle's not yet a giant sales draw and Whilce Portacio's name has probably lost its lustre a bit. The next creative team could always bump up the sales a bit.

Of course, the second Superman Confidential arc has been given to a fairly obscure writer.

[Captain Jim]

As far as I can see, the answer of whether or not the book is still an ongoing title has yet to be determined.

[Cayman]

I was totally confused. The person I thought was obscure is doing the next Batman Confidential arc, not the Superman Confidential arc. Michael Green (apparently a Heroes writer) is doing another 6 issue arc that starts with 7.

[Paul Dee]

The next creative team could always bump up the sales a bit.

I think it definitely will to be honest - Denys Cowan + Joker origin = interest for a lot of people I'd have thought. Even though I'm only really interested in the former.

[Cayman]

I think it definitely will to be honest - Denys Cowan + Joker origin = interest for a lot of people I'd have thought. Even though I'm only really interested in the former.

True, we don't see Cowan too much these days. Or at least I don't since I mainly read big two books. :o

Isn't the ambiguity of Joker's origin considered part of his appeal?

[Guts/Batman]

Isn't the ambiguity of Joker's origin considered part of his appeal?

That's what I thought. That's why I have no intention of supporting the idea by buying the story.

[Paul Dee]

Isn't the ambiguity of Joker's origin considered part of his appeal?


Oh certainly and as others have also said in another thread - I think the idea sucks. I do think there'll be a lot of people who might be into the idea though.

[paperbackreader]

Isn't the ambiguity of Joker's origin considered part of his appeal?

I thought Legends of the Dark Knight established his name was Joseph Kerr, and went nuts over some girl?

Seriously, I agree. I think Wolverine's character was weakened by "Origin" and I would also think that Joker's would be. For the characters whose origins make them more interesting (Harvey Dent, for instance) then I'm okay with it, but 60+ years later, I'd rather the Joker just be, and not have to learn that he was a circus clown who was abused as a child...

[Cayman]

If I could pick a creative team for an arc, I think I'd go with Peter Milligan writing and Bill Sienkiewicz on art.

[Captain Jim]

My copy no longer has the "out of" on the front. I wonder if it was a goof? I'm assuming it's still an ongoing.

I think we skipped over this too fast. Since #5 does NOT say "#5 of 8," I'm guessing that the earlier use of "of 8" was in error. Which would indicate that it's still an ongoing series.

[Captain Jim]

Based on the new August solicitations, it now seems pretty clear that this book wil NOT end with issue #8 (since this issue contains the second part of a six part story). I think we can now safely conclude that the earlier "Part __ of 8" was in error.

BATMAN CONFIDENTIAL #8
Written by Michael Green
Art and cover by Denys Cowan & John Floyd
Part 2 of a 6-part Joker tale written by Michael Green (TV’s Heroes)! Batman crosses paths once again with the punk who will become his deadliest foe — The Joker — in a Gotham City that seems to be increasingly more deadly and psychotic.
On sale August 8 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US

[GeorgeG]

Now I recall this Joker storyline, as far as the initial solicit read, was to be a two-parter. Now it's six. Does anyone else remember this or am I mistaken?

[Captain Jim]

I didn't remember that they specified.