Batman should be good.

[Jack Zodiac]

What's the verdict on the Batman franchise? Paul Dini on Detective Comics, Grant Morrison on Batman, Frank Miller on All-Star Batman and Robin. J. H. Williams III bouncing between two of these titles and Tony Daniels coming to join Grant Morrison with a new Neal Adams flavor to his art. Is the Batman franchise good?

[Froggy]

I can only say stuff about grant morrison's batman as it's the only one i'm reading...and I like it :)

Morrison got me interested in batman againa nd despite the fact that most people hated his joker arc, I loved it. That and batninjas?

[Chris Nowlin]

Paul Dini's Batman is good.

[SUPERECWFAN1]

Paul Dini's Batman is good.

I 2nd this. The Dini Batman in Detective is awesome. Its the best Batman title on the stands currently. Morrison's is too un-even due to the delays and fill ins. His 1st arc was pretty damn awesome , his 2nd...not so much. Now I hope his 3rd WOWS me.

All-Star Batman & Robin is just shit.

[Jack Zodiac]

Not a fan of Miller's All-Star? I thought it was ridiculous until I realized what the nature of it was. Now it's, at the very least, enjoyable. But still, it's killing in sales... when it comes out. Just like Morrison's Batman, which isn't everyone's favorite flavor of Batman, but is still insanely popular and high-selling.

[GRANT!]

Eh... not crazy about any of them. Though the new Club of Heroes arc in Batman is looking promising.

[SUPERECWFAN1]

Not a fan of Miller's All-Star? I thought it was ridiculous until I realized what the nature of it was. Now it's, at the very least, enjoyable. But still, it's killing in sales... when it comes out. Just like Morrison's Batman, which isn't everyone's favorite flavor of Batman, but is still insanely popular and high-selling.

Its high selling for the Jim Lee art. Plus as some have theorized on message boards , Miller only recently said it was a parody. They feel he saw the reactions from people going "I'm the GOD DAMN BATMAN" online and decided to duck and cover his ass. (The Sperm Bank line from #5 was so over the top silly I choked laughing )

They both carry names and have the buzz. I hope Grant can lure me with the Club of Heroes arc.

[Jack Zodiac]

Man, there's no way those first two issues were completely serious. I mean, Batman practically kills four cops in one panel driving his DKR Bat-tank over them. Then he calls this orphan he just kidnapped retarded. Sure, it isn't called All-Star Batshit and Crazy, but it definitely isn't a serious book.

And what outside of delays and fill-ins haven't you liked about Morrison's Batman? Dini's had fill-ins on Detective, too, but his stories are still crazy-good, and I feel the same about Morrison's. He's doing some... interesting stuff with Batman and family, but he's handling it all well. And #666 was one of the best single Batman stories I've read in a long time. Following it up with a short arc about the Batmen of All Nations with art by Williams is only keeping that momentum going, right into the return of Ra's al Ghul, one of the greatest enemies Batman's ever had. Unlike a lot of DC's franchises, this one hasn't been disappointing me lately, and only looks like it's going to get better in the future.

[SUPERECWFAN1]

Man, there's no way those first two issues were completely serious. I mean, Batman practically kills four cops in one panel driving his DKR Bat-tank over them. Then he calls this orphan he just kidnapped retarded. Sure, it isn't called All-Star Batshit and Crazy, but it definitely isn't a serious book.

Before this even hit the stands it and All-Star Superman were linchpins behind this new All-Star line. There were no discussions that Miller was gonna do a parody book. The 1st 2 issues came out and suddenly he's doing a parody book. Perhaps because no one took it serious as you posted. Or everyone was making it the butt of jokes.

And what outside of delays and fill-ins haven't you liked about Morrison's Batman? Dini's had fill-ins on Detective, too, but his stories are still crazy-good, and I feel the same about Morrison's. He's doing some... interesting stuff with Batman and family, but he's handling it all well. And #666 was one of the best single Batman stories I've read in a long time.

Morrison's last arc about the many Batmen out there and having Damian be Batman in #666 to finish that arc never really clicked with me. I just didn't really get into the story-arc at all. Unlike that 1st arc he did introducing Damian , the 2nd arc by the time it started after that craptacular fill-in never really clicked with me.

I'm glad you feel Batman #666 was the best single issue Batman story in a long while. To me its just an end to an arc that really never sold me.


Following it up with a short arc about the Batmen of All Nations with art by Williams is only keeping that momentum going, right into the return of Ra's al Ghul, one of the greatest enemies Batman's ever had. Unlike a lot of DC's franchises, this one hasn't been disappointing me lately, and only looks like it's going to get better in the future.

Batman by Morrison dissapointed me with its delays and crappy fill in arc that was stretched to 5 issues. Then we get a nice outta the box Joker prose story ...which I liked. Then an arc about the Batmen which I hated. I hope the next arc is good. I hope Morrison can do the job here like he's done so well on other books he does.

[stealthwise]

Short-hand critique of All-Star Batman and Robin: It's satire, but really, really shitty satire, not even worth more than a chuckle or two. It's not deep, it's not inspired, and it's not even really that funny.

[BillR]

I really liked Dini's Detective at first, but it's gotten more and more boring over time, and I've dropped it.

Morrison's Batman has fits and starts and peeks at brilliance, but isn't quite what I was hoping for out of a G-Mozz Batman.

ASBAR is hilarious.

[FunkyGreenJerusalem]

There were no discussions that Miller was gonna do a parody book. The 1st 2 issues came out and suddenly he's doing a parody book. Perhaps because no one took it serious as you posted. Or everyone was making it the butt of jokes.

That said, there was the leaked panel description from the script where Miller was writing about how he wanted an 'ass' shot of Vicki Vale.
Not something you normally put into a serious script.

[dancj]

Plus as some have theorized on message boards , Miller only recently said it was a parody. They feel he saw the reactions from people going "I'm the GOD DAMN BATMAN" online and decided to duck and cover his ass.
Anyone who seriously thinks that needs to go back and reread their other Frank Miller books. The guy's practically never serious.

The only stuff I've read so far of the recent batch is Paul Dini's Detective, and TBH it hasn't grabbed me.

[SUPERECWFAN1]

That said, there was the leaked panel description from the script where Miller was writing about how he wanted an 'ass' shot of Vicki Vale.
Not something you normally put into a serious script.

It had Jim Lee drawing....I'd ask for tits and ass shots considering who my artist is. :p

[SUPERECWFAN1]

Anyone who seriously thinks that needs to go back and reread their other Frank Miller books. The guy's practically never serious.


I don't know.... Dark Knight Returns was a pretty serious comic. The whole him having enough of the Joker and snapping his neck.

The only stuff I've read so far of the recent batch is Paul Dini's Detective, and TBH it hasn't grabbed me.

Really why ? If my budget allowed Dini's "Detective" would be pulled ASAP. Now I grab what issues I can. I can name a lot of the good that Dini's done on Detective. That Robin/Joker story was great and intense as hell.

[dancj]

I don't know.... Dark Knight Returns was a pretty serious comic. The whole him having enough of the Joker and snapping his neck.
SPOILER ALERT!!! The Joker snapped his own neck.

Either way though, The Dark Knight returns is full of humour.

[Super J.]

I'm loveing Detective Comics right now. I'm still not sure about Morrison's work on Batman yet, I'll reserve judgement till the end of the current story. But Miller on All-Star, is just not doing it for me.

[The Beast Of Yucca Flats]

Short-hand critique of All-Star Batman and Robin: It's satire, but really, really shitty satire, not even worth more than a chuckle or two. It's not deep, it's not inspired, and it's not even really that funny.

I read another critique about All-Star Batman awhile back that as something to the effect of: "if it is all a joke, Miller's still not in on it."

Beyond that, Dini's Detective Comics is definitely the strongest of the line right now; Morrison's Bats hasn't been quite as fast to connect with me, but the 1st chapter to the current arc with J.H. Williams III was much more to my liking.