Would anyone want to see Kurt Busiek on a Batman Title? [Archive]

nepenthes

02-02-2009, 12:39 AM

He writes Batman in Trinity. Not a solo book but batman nonethless......

And what are your views on the character that might be different from other creators who have played with him?

Overall, my view of Batman is one I don’t see other people use all that much....

more at the link
http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=17358

I like parts of Astro City but I'm not a huge busiek fan. I'd be more interested in what he'd do if it weren't all retro and golden age though

Captain Jim

02-02-2009, 04:21 PM

His stuff is pretty inconsistent in my opinion. Sometimes great, rarely bad, often mediocre. (No offense, Kurt, if you stop by here.)

Winghead

02-02-2009, 06:22 PM

I think he's pretty damn consistent actually, and usually more enjoyable than most writers. He offers a combination of the more literary and abstract works of Morrison and Gaiman, with the standard super hero stuff of Geoff Johns. I think he'd do a killer Batman

Captain Jim

02-02-2009, 08:15 PM

Vidocq

02-02-2009, 10:39 PM

I like his views on Batman, that much I can say. Haven't read any Trinity, is it good? 52 good or just better than Countdown?

WorstThingUS

02-02-2009, 10:57 PM

Sure...because it would mean I could save money by not buying it. He burned me on Avengers Forever and Superman. There will not be a third.

dancj

02-03-2009, 05:31 AM

I'm with Captain Jim. If the Kurt Busiek who wrote Marvels, Astro City, Arrowsmith and Secret Identity wrote Batman I'd be over the moon.

If the one who wrote Avenger Forever and JLA Syndicate Rules did it on the other hand....

Sanlear

02-03-2009, 06:06 AM

Definitely. I'd buy a Busiek Batman title in a heartbeat.

Mia

02-03-2009, 12:33 PM

No thanks. I generally find him boring. And after reading about his approval of the Spiderman retcon. I would rather him stay as far away from Batman as possible.

Kurt Busiek

02-03-2009, 01:51 PM

No thanks. I generally find him boring. And after reading about his approval of the Spiderman retcon. I would rather him stay as far away from Batman as possible.

I haven't read "the Spiderman retcon," and have never expressed either approval or disapproval of it.

But you'll be happy to know I have no plans to write a solo Batman series, my nonexistent approval of a story you didn't like notwithstanding.

kdb

Rev. Calibos

02-03-2009, 01:56 PM

I like his views on Batman, that much I can say. Haven't read any Trinity, is it good? 52 good or just better than Countdown?

It's interesting.......consider this, the book concerns Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman and their role as the 'keystone' of the DCU proper.....the three have been completely absent from the book for some time and it's still a fun read.

It's much, MUCH better than 52 or Countdown, easily. Add in some great pencils by Bagley and you have a 'winner'.

SUPERECWFAN1

02-03-2009, 01:57 PM

I haven't read "the Spiderman retcon," and have never expressed either approval or disapproval of it.

But you'll be happy to know I have no plans to write a solo Batman series, my nonexistent approval of a story you didn't like notwithstanding.

kdb

Ha ..... knowing how good a writer you are ...I'd think you'd be shaking your head at the handling of Peter Parker's character. I mean if your a fan of the whole "power & responsibility" thing and not stomping your feet and forcing the wife to handle that responsibility , you'd wonder how it got approved. :tongue:

As much ass as you'd kick on a Batman book.... I'd love to see you revamp the Titans franchise. Give it a jolt. That would make me buy those books if you came on and made the books awesome like your Avengers run.

Rev. Calibos

02-03-2009, 02:06 PM

Ha ..... knowing how good a writer you are ...I'd think you'd be shaking your head at the handling of Peter Parker's character. I mean if your a fan of the whole "power & responsibility" thing and not stomping your feet and forcing the wife to handle that responsibility , you'd wonder how it got approved. :tongue:

As much ass as you'd kick on a Batman book.... I'd love to see you revamp the Titans franchise. Give it a jolt. That would make me buy those books if you came on and made the books awesome like your Avengers run.

Hell yeah. I gave the Titans a shot, I really, really did but at no point did it ever feel like a Titans book.....it might as well have been called 'Hey, Here's Flash, Nightwing, Donna Troy, Starfire, Red Arrow And Two Characters That LOOK Like Raven And Gar Logan But Just Simply Can't Be Them......And Their Adventures.....'

Additionally, I'm not understanding the Avengers Forever hate at all. The entire series was a celebration of everything that made the Avengers so special before Disassembled and the Dark Civil Invasion-ing of everything. The book gave us a clear, concise history of Earth's Mightiest while also providing the best Kang origin ever told.

SUPERECWFAN1

02-03-2009, 02:22 PM

Hell yeah. I gave the Titans a shot, I really, really did but at no point did it ever feel like a Titans book.....it might as well have been called 'Hey, Here's Flash, Nightwing, Donna Troy, Starfire, Red Arrow And Two Characters That LOOK Like Raven And Gar Logan But Just Simply Can't Be Them......And Their Adventures.....'

I think Kurt Busiek could make the Titans books good . I mean really good. He'd cover new ground and shake up the rosters . New members and everything. It would beat anything DC's currently doing with the Titans now.

We all should start a campaign . PUT KURT BUSIEK ON THE TITANS BOOKS !:tongue:

Spiffy

02-03-2009, 02:23 PM

I'm a fan of Trinty, so I'd say "yes".

The way Trinity has played out we actually haven't gotten to see all that much of his take on Batman though. The bit we HAVE gotten is actually kind of on a "meta" level. Not in the Morrison sense, but in the neighborhood.

No thanks. I generally find him boring. And after reading about his approval of the Spiderman retcon. I would rather him stay as far away from Batman as possible.
It depends on which version of the Spiderman retcon. If it was JMS' original understanding of it, then I'd be okay with that. If it was the mishmash that Joe Q. and company actually made of it? Not so much. And its not like what's resulted has been bad (the franchise DID need a shot in the arm), it was just how haphazard and sloppily they went about it.

md62

02-03-2009, 02:35 PM

Yes. Kurt has written more great stories than he has bad ones. Although I agree with another poster....I would like to see Kurt write The Titans (the originals)...

Mia

02-03-2009, 02:44 PM

It depends on which version of the Spiderman retcon. If it was JMS' original understanding of it, then I'd be okay with that. If it was the mishmash that Joe Q. and company actually made of it? Not so much. And its not like what's resulted has been bad (the franchise DID need a shot in the arm), it was just how haphazard and sloppily they went about it.

I mean Busiask agrees with the current wiping out/retconning the last 20 years of SM history, which was done because Marvel can't think of anything of else to do with the character. To me that speaks of creative bankruptcy not to mention a lousy attitude. I would rather him (and any author with that kind of philosophy) to stay far far away from Batman.

Mia

02-03-2009, 02:49 PM

I haven't read "the Spiderman retcon," and have never expressed either approval or disapproval of it.

I'm refering to your posts on the CBR Spiderman MB where you have expressed agreement of the retconning out of the last 20 years of Spiderman's history.

But you'll be happy to know I have no plans to write a solo Batman series, my nonexistent approval of a story you didn't like notwithstanding.

kdb

You just made my day!:smile:

Kurt Busiek

02-03-2009, 06:12 PM

I'm refering to your posts on the CBR Spiderman MB where you have expressed agreement of the retconning out of the last 20 years of Spiderman's history.

I haven't made any such posts.

I expect you're confusing the fact that I've said that I think the Spider-Man marriage was a mistake, something I have said and have talked about, with the idea that I've somehow said I approve of One More Day, something I haven't read and have declined to give my opinion on numerous times, mainly because I haven't read it and therefore don't have an opinion.

kdb

Kurt Busiek

02-03-2009, 06:14 PM

I mean Busiask agrees with the current wiping out/retconning the last 20 years of SM history,

I've never said any such thing.

Nor, for that matter, have I said I disagree with it. I haven't read it.

kdb

TROUBLEZ

02-03-2009, 06:38 PM

Even though I'm a big fan of Astro City I wouldn't want him to be writing Batman.

Abraxas

02-03-2009, 09:08 PM

I am just going by Kurt's homage to Batman and Robin in the great Astro City "Confession" Arc, since I have not read Trinity. But, if someone of Kurt's calibur can capture the essence of those two characters then they are on the right path to getting the job done.

TROUBLEZ

02-03-2009, 09:27 PM

earl

02-03-2009, 10:42 PM

I'd be cool with Kurt Busiek doing some Batman stories, but I bet he would even be better doing some old style Brave and the Bold with Batman and a single guest type book with the stories set earlier in Batman's career or a story when Dick Grayson was Robin. I'd also like to see him do some JLA with the classic cast.

Heck, I kind of wish there was more of those kind of Batman stories anyway with more top writers.

I could see the Titans working too, but those characters have gotten flipped over so many different times, they are quite a ways down the road from the classic version that Wolfman and Perez did.

Abraxas

02-03-2009, 11:48 PM

Didn't the duo in "Confessions" consist of a vampire and a regular kid? I didn't think it was much of a homage beneath the surface.
I thought the story was awesome, but I was underwhelmed by his recent DC stuff. That's why I said 'no.'

To me, clearly the Vampire and his human sidekick is Batman and Robin. That is my opinion. But they both are Astro City's Batman and Robin.

dancj

02-04-2009, 05:38 AM

Additionally, I'm not understanding the Avengers Forever hate at all. The entire series was a celebration of everything that made the Avengers so special before Disassembled and the Dark Civil Invasion-ing of everything. The book gave us a clear, concise history of Earth's Mightiest while also providing the best Kang origin ever told.
The problem with the series is that if you're not particularly familiar with Avengers history it's completely impenetrable.

Rev. Calibos

02-04-2009, 07:00 AM

The problem with the series is that if you're not particularly familiar with Avengers history it's completely impenetrable.

This is true......the main reason I'm such a fan of it is because I HAVE been reading the Avengers for 20+ years......I'm not taking into consideration newer readers who are scratching their heads at some of the story points (Space Phantoms,wtf?), lol.

AlistairCrane

02-04-2009, 09:46 PM

I find Busiek's writing to be extreeeeemely hokey. He cannot handle a character like Batman. His Superman is cringe-worthy.

Brannon

02-04-2009, 09:55 PM

Let me guess..either Mia is a mod or said mode supports "fans" that spread inaccurate lies about creators? Just asking, because I find it odd that my far from inflammatory post was deleted.

Captain Jim

02-04-2009, 09:59 PM

Let me guess..either Mia is a mod or said mode supports "fans" that spread inaccurate lies about creators? Just asking, because I find it odd that my far from inflammatory post was deleted.

Neither, I'm afraid. But your remarks were decidedly over the top, IMO, and certainly would have resulted in a fiery exchange. Mia can respond to Kurt's corrections herself, if she chooses to, there's no reason for her to have to deal with your angry exagerations.

Brannon

02-04-2009, 10:24 PM

Kurt Busiek

02-05-2009, 11:51 AM

Neither, I'm afraid. But your remarks were decidedly over the top, IMO, and certainly would have resulted in a fiery exchange. Mia can respond to Kurt's corrections herself, if she chooses to, there's no reason for her to have to deal with your angry exagerations.

It's good, I suppose, that Mia's protected from angry exaggerations, to the point of deleting them, while her angry fabrications don't get subjected to the same policy, even when repeated three times.

Just for the humor value, I'll toss in that while checking to see what I might have said that could have been misinterpreted, I ran across such sterling expressions of support for ONE MORE DAY as:

"I've made no comment on that. Haven't read ONE MORE DAY, even."

"For that matter, despite the fact that I thought the marriage was a mistake, I never stumped for it to be undone. I simply thought it was a mistake, and thought it hurt the book."

"I haven't read ONE MORE DAY, as I noted earlier. And I also never pitched for, nor tried to argue that there should be a story where the marriage was busted up. I think the marriage was a mistake, but I think that breaking it up may also be a mistake. It's not always enough simply to reverse a decision."

"Finding new chances at happiness but knowing that they might be bittersweet and fleeting seems to me to fit the SPIDER-MAN mythos more than The Devil Did It. But then, I say again that I never read ONE MORE DAY, so I can't really judge."

"I'm not talking about what Spider-Man's like today. I'm not in a position to judge."

...all of which clearly show that I should never be allowed near a Batman solo series because I'm wildly in favor of a retcon I've never read. And I also ran across this quote, from a different writer:

"I've said this to a bunch of fans at this point, so I'll repeat it again... I don't care how they get there, the Brand New Day Spiderman is something that's been needed for a long long time."

So clearly, that rascal Ed Brubaker should never have been allowed to write Batman, despite that he's one of the best guys to handle the character in recent years. He supports One More Day, so he's obviously incompetent.

Ah well.

But what the heck, all this has reminded me that I do have a Batman story I might want to pitch, so I'm mulling it over.

kdb

David Walton

02-05-2009, 12:10 PM

I can vouch for Kurt's quotes.

I was there!

One of my favorite exchanges, actually.

Winghead

02-05-2009, 01:07 PM

Damn Kurt, All I wanted to do was bring about the idea of how great it would be to see you on Batman and now this! Sorry man! Regardless, lets keep it going if it brings you closer to pitching a Batman story :smile:

TROUBLEZ

02-05-2009, 03:48 PM

It's good, I suppose, that Mia's protected from angry exaggerations, to the point of deleting them, while her angry fabrications don't get subjected to the same policy, even when repeated three times.

What did Brannon say?
I didn't find what Mia said as having any anger in it.

nepenthes

02-05-2009, 04:03 PM

But what the heck, all this has reminded me that I do have a Batman story I might want to pitch, so I'm mulling it over

wow go message boards! bet the OP didn't expect this response ha :cool:

Kurt Busiek

02-05-2009, 04:04 PM

What did Brannon say?

Beats me; I was going by the description given.

I didn't find what Mia said as having any anger in it.

She seems pretty angry about One More Day, to the point that anyone she thinks might like it is to be judged as creatively bankrupt and having a bad attitude, and should be kept far away from a character who isn't even in the same universe. Even if they've never read it.

kdb

TROUBLEZ

02-05-2009, 04:53 PM

Beats me; I was going by the description given.

She seems pretty angry about One More Day, to the point that anyone she thinks might like it is to be judged as creatively bankrupt and having a bad attitude, and should be kept far away from a character who isn't even in the same universe. Even if they've never read it.

kdb

I just re-read Mia's posts and she seems pretty calm to me.

And I just read Captain Jim's reason for deleting Brannon's post:

But your remarks were decidedly over the top, IMO, and certainly would have resulted in a fiery exchange.

I didn't find Mia's posts over top and certainly resulting in a fiery exchange. I see hers as being mistaken and resulting in a correction.

Missing Astro City! Take care.

Captain Jim

02-05-2009, 06:06 PM

I didn't find Mia's posts over top and certainly resulting in a fiery exchange. I see hers as being mistaken and resulting in a correction.

Likewise, which it appeared to me that Kurt had provided, twice in fact.

Btw, in case there's confusion about my post, I was trying to avoid an angry exchange between Mia and Brannon. I don't want anyone to think I was implying that Kurt would be involved in this.

Deciding how much "free expression" to allow and what to delete is often a fine line. Sorry if you disagree, Kurt, but like you said, you didn't see the post in question. It's certainly not my desire to offend you; I've always greatly apreciated your frequent visits and forthcoming posts on these forums. :smile:

gorthon616

02-05-2009, 06:40 PM

I just randomly have the desire to ask this...

Hey Kurt, what do you think about Clone Saga?

Kurt Busiek

02-05-2009, 06:44 PM

I just randomly have the desire to ask this...

Hey Kurt, what do you think about Clone Saga?

I wasn't wild about it in the 1970s, and I wasn't wild about the much bigger one later on, but I only read bits of that one.

kdb

Brannon

02-05-2009, 06:48 PM

I can assure everyone that while my post might have started a "flame war" I was in no way overly insulting in it.

Anyway, I'm all for Kurt writing Batman. I'm assuming Kurt would write a Batman that's in character and likable, given his track record, so I'm on board. ;)

nepenthes

02-05-2009, 06:50 PM

Kurt Busiek

02-05-2009, 07:50 PM

hey kb, just off the top of your head, what villains do you really like in batman and what would you emphasize about them? like if you had to write a batman story right now in one sitting, just very broadly, first instincts

I wouldn't agree to write a Batman story right now, in one sitting -- I don't work that way. I'd mull things over and think about stuff a while.

I like a lot of Batman villains -- the Joker, Two-Face, Penguin, Riddler, Catwoman, Deadshot, even obscure guys like the Snowman and Ruby Ryder -- but the first instincts are pretty basic. Joker's got to be scary insane, Two-Face is menacing and unpredictable, Penguin is sarcastic and smug, Riddler's playful and clever, Catwoman's alluring and mysterious, Deadshot's brusque and professional, Snowman's desperate and angry, Ruby Ryder's snotty and condescending. But a story needs to do a lot more than just hit the surface, so I'd want to think about the characters, why they're that way, what it would drive them to do and see if there's a story in that that arises, something more than just "XXX is committing crimes, Batman must outwit and then outfight him, bang, done."

kdb

nepenthes

02-05-2009, 08:29 PM

I wouldn't agree to write a Batman story right now, in one sitting -- I don't work that way. I'd mull things over and think about stuff a while.

of course :wink:. I meant more in your response to the question, that I wasn't expecting an outline of a batman pitch or anything just your first thoughts on maybe the mechanics of characters and what attracts you to them.

I understand it's hard to answer on a board though - next thing you know someones breathlessly reporting the upcoming Batman VS Snowman Busiek project ha. and that would be kind of annoying i guess. For some reason when i thought of a Busiek Batman my mind went to villains like Nocturna, Creeper, Freeze and ahem, Shame from the TV show. yeah, I dunno :redface:

i forgot that was you on Sword of Atlantis. That's the only Aquaman i need to own i hunted down the singles onwards after the trade left me hanging. goes without saying I'd love to see Batman in that kind of world, similar to maybe Arrowsmith even, somewhat timeless and mythical but moving past nostalgia. or am i talking about Batman under the sea yeah i'd like that too!

Pól Rua

02-05-2009, 08:35 PM

Would anyone want to see Kurt Busiek on a Batman Title?
Kurt Busiek might.
High profile regular gig. Why not?

Hair

02-07-2009, 12:22 AM

I think Kurt Busiek did a fantastic job with the Confession storyline in Astro City. It was basically a "Batman and Robin" story with deep character development and a few great twists. If Astro City: Confession was actually a Batman book, I think it would be seen as one of the top must-read Batman graphic novels. I think Kurt Busiek could do an amazing Batman book.

40footwolf

02-07-2009, 12:56 AM

Not really, no.

Doesn't really seem like a good fit.

David Walton

02-07-2009, 05:55 AM

Does anyone really think that Kurt couldn't have a great run on nearly any title?

I mean being a prolific guy he's had his share of hits and misses, and it's one of those things that may work and may not for a thousand different reasons.

But it's all hypothetical until he writes it, and I'd have to say it's worth a shot if the opportunity arises and he's game.

Winghead

02-07-2009, 07:31 AM

I actually think he's hard far more hits than misses. I can' t really think of anything of his that I haven't at least enjoyed somewhat. I think Trinity is bloody brilliant. Its too bad so many people were turned off by Countdown, because this series is quite mindblowing. I was just thinking, that most of my favorite writers have tackled Batman before: Moore, Morrison, Brubaker, Loeb etc, and it would be awesome to see Kurt, as my favorite writer give him a shot.

Captain Jim

02-08-2009, 01:51 PM

I read, I think, the first four issues of Trinity. They were okay but didn't really excite me enough to keep reading. (Part of this was due to disappointment with Countdown, which isn't exactly fair to Kurt & company, but is a fact of life.) I don't have any complaints whatsoever about characterization, however; I thought he had them all down pat. I'm open to the possiblity of picking up the trades if I read enough good reviews once it's over.