Batman Gothic: Am I CRAZY?

[Killsocket]

Warning: Some spoilers if you have not read Gothic but plan to, do not read.

I just read Gothic and have to mention some stuff. Maybe you guys can give me clarity.

I really did not like Gothic. Is that crazy? Gothic is on some lists for top 25 TPB ever. And I did not like it? I could not put my finger on it. I think in the comic community it is widely regarded as "good" or "Great".

Then I started to reread PREY. Then I figured it out.

There was no Gordon (that I recall). I LOVE the relationship between Batman and Gordon in the books (like Prey). I love seeing things from Gordon's perspective. I understand that not every single book is going to have Gordon.

There was no inner dialogue (that I recall). I LOVE the inner dialogue that the characters have. What they are thinking while they are doing what they are doing. Or thinking while looking at the panels.

I did not like the artwork. The artwork made me always think Batman was the Adam West Batman for some reason. The facial expressions of Batman in Gothic were, I thought, humorous at times. Several times Batman appeared "scared". I don't like my Batman to appear "scared". Even in Monster Men with giant genetically mutated monsters he never appeared "scared". That is what this art did to Batman.

I did not like that Batman went to talk to monks in his batsuit. I've always considered it a strange honor (if you are an innocent citizen) to see Batman in his suit. This Batman in Gothic is talking to a monk as if it was normal in a Batsuit?? I understand he couldn't exactly go as Bruce Wayne, would be because if he went as Bruce Wayne, would he get that information? I doubt it. It just 'felt' weird.

Is Batman really going to get his arse kicked by a, apparently, 40 something year old Mr. Whisper (reality he is near 300 years?) multiple times? Tied up and threatened to die in an elaborate death trap? Maybe I am too cynical, but this whole "event" of the bad guy setting up an elaborate death trap for a good guy only to leave was constantly made fun of in the Austin Powers movies, now I know why. Plus... we don't even know how Batman got out of it, he just did?

However, I liked the general overall story. I just didn't like how it looked on paper and some of the stuff that happens within the story I didn't care for. **SPOILER** I LOVED that the crazy woman was the devil in the end and took care of Mr. Whisper. That saved the whole book for me.

Now, I am somewhat of a newbie, I only have a handful of the trades from Batman's early career, but I like Gothic the least as compared to the others: Year One, Monster Men, Mad Monk, Prey, TLH, and TKJ.

Am I crazy?

[Karl O'Neill]

No, You are not crazy,

I prefer Batman:Shaman and Batman:Prey and Batman:Venom.

3 of my favourite, most re-readable batman stories i have in my collection, Denny o'neill is a legend when it comes to writing batman.

I would regard these highly as i regard The dark knight returns, Year one and RIP, Heart of Hush and All Paul Dini's work in general.

[Bradley]

Some spoilers here...

I don't think you're crazy (although I absolutely love Gothic-- just read it again the other night, in fact). You might want to reconsider your feelings about Klaus Janson's art-- his isn't a style that's really popular at the moment, but he knows how to construct a page and depict a scene, and there's something rough and grimy in Gothic's visuals that's absolutely appropriate, I think.

As far as the story goes-- well, I think some of the things you point out as silly (Batman wearing his costume to talk to the monks, Mr. Whisper's elaborate death trap) are over-the-top by design, to give the story a grand, larger-than-life, "operatic" feel. Early in the story, Morrison shows Mr. Whisper at the opera, talking about Don Giovanni, and I think that scene does more than just foreshadow Mr. Whisper's fate (like Don Giovanni, he's going to be dragged to hell; unlike Don Giovanni, he's going to try to repent and beg for forgiveness)-- it's also an indication of what kind of story we're reading, I think. While some of the visuals and dialogue may sound like Frank Miller's Batman of Year One, this is actually a very different type of story-- one that makes use of some of the form's "goofier" troops (the costume and death traps are weird, but important for a Batman story), but uses them with utter seriousness.

I think there's a lot to like in this story's creepy atmosphere-- the image of Thomas Wayne trying to communicate with his son through a mouth that's been sown shut, the "blasphemous" upside-down bat signal, the image of the little boy's head in the garbage can in the headmaster's office. In many ways, Gothic feels like something of a prequel to Morrison's current Batman run-- it's concerned with Bruce's relationship with (and questions about) his father and the existence of an evil older and more powerful than the "cowardly, superstitious" criminals Batman usually fights.

Plus, how many superhero mystery adventures can you name where the key to solving the case involves architecture? That's pretty awesome in its weirdness, if you ask me.

[n2doop5u]

No, you're not crazy. I can see how this story would be polarizing. It's definitely different and I don't care how "on purpose" that death trap was, it was still incredibly silly. But all in all, I think there were some great moments and some really interesting batman plot background. I just liked seeing any part of Bruce pre-death of parents.

And that head in the trash was freaky.

[Rabid Trekkie]

I enjoyed the story but thought the art was terrible. Don't know if I'd consider it one of the great Batman stories I've read, but I like going back and reading it from time to time. The information about cathedrals was cool.

[rwe1138]

I though it was okay, but nothing too great.

[nepenthes]

one of the best Batman stories ever published

[dancj]

I thought the story was decent enough - and much as I like Janson doing inks/finishes, I'd say this is the only time I've ever seen him turn in a decent job of pencilling. Usually he's terrible.