Blackest Night: Batman #1 - SPOILERS - Discussion - Preview

[RonnieThunderbolts]

Over at ign.com they have a preview of the first issue of Blackest Night: Batman (http://comics.ign.com/articles/101/1012082p1.html).

Minor nitpicking aside (nothing major, but I do find it annoying when the artists, both pencilers and colorists, can't get the costume details on Dick and Damian correct), the issue looks promising to me. I like Tomasi's writing pretty well, and he seems to have a good handle on Dick Grayson from his Nightwing run, as well as these opening pages.

I look forward to Dick and Boston Brand interacting again. The Nightwing: Year One storyline was a fun one, in large part because of Deadman's involvement. Interestingly enough, Boston interacting with his own reanimated corpse makes me wonder if/hope that Ralph and Sue Dibny's disembodied ghost detectives from the end of 52 will reappear in the Blackest Night crossover, despite their bodies being used as zombies.

[CMBMOOL]

You have to admit, Deadman will be an obstcle for many Black Lanterns to fight against.:redface:

[jerrymcl89]

I was planning on passing on the Blackest Night tie-in series, but I think I'll get this. Tomasi did a good job on Nightwing.

[Will.S]

Minor nitpicking aside (nothing major, but I do find it annoying when the artists, both pencilers and colorists, can't get the costume details on Dick and Damian correct), the issue looks promising to me.
I had the same exact problem with it but I'll still be checking it out nonetheless.

[Psavell2]

I was originally planning on getting just the Batman tie-in, but after seeing this preview I'm glad I changed my mind before July's issues sold out.

[SpideyZERO]

The story seems good, but I'm not a fan of how the artist draws Damien

[Captain Jim]

the issue looks promising to me. I like Tomasi's writing pretty well, and he seems to have a good handle on Dick Grayson from his Nightwing run, as well as these opening pages.

I look forward to Dick and Boston Brand interacting again. The Nightwing: Year One storyline was a fun one, in large part because of Deadman's involvement.

I thought this looked pretty good also. I don't have it on my pull list, but I figured I'd probably end up buying it. Now I'm sure. (I'm simply determined I will not let them con me into buying each and every tie-in this time around.)

I had completely forgotten about Deadman being in Nightwing: Year One. Thanks for the reminder. :smile:

[F1uke]

I had completely forgotten about Deadman being in Nightwing: Year One. Thanks for the reminder. :smile:

Same, this looks very promising! I'm pumped for all the DC books this week!

[AJM]

This looks like great fun. I was very surprised by how much i enjoyed Blackest Night #1, i wasn't going to bother with it at all but i got sucked in by the scenes at Batman's grave. By the time i got to the end, i loved it, and i'm not normally into this kind of thing, plus i know absolutely nothing about any shade of Lantern in the DCU. So i'll get the main book and this definitely.

[DeadAsWarhol]

both batman and robin saying "damn" in their first lines was kind of noticeably awkward i thought

[Buried Alien]

Dick and Damian evidently didn't give much thought to how the Martian Manhunter was found and reanimated by the Black Lantern power ring. Their plan to place the Waynes in the vault underneath the Batcave won't stop the Black Lantern rings. They bore deeply through the soil of Mars and the material of J'Onn's crypt to reach him. Possibly, no amount of physical matter can stop those Black Lantern power rings. John Stewart saw them pulverize massive asteroids.

Buried Alien (The Fastest Post Alive!)

[Nathan]

i cant click on the images :(

[mofo]

looks cool (i echo the OP's point about the art though)
but am i right in assuming that none of the Batman books will crossover into Blackest Night? We're just going to have this miniseries?

[Melfice]

Love it and I like the Deadman char from Wednesday Comics (new to comics, first time I saw the char). This should be an epic mini-series with Peter Tomasi writing the book! Great stuff indeed

[Jim Thompson]

-- but am i right in assuming that none of the Batman books will crossover into Blackest Night? We're just going to have this miniseries?I certainly hope so. That'd be a welcome change during one of these events.

[Captain Jim]

This looks like great fun. I was very surprised by how much i enjoyed Blackest Night #1, i wasn't going to bother with it at all but i got sucked in by the scenes at Batman's grave. By the time i got to the end, i loved it, and i'm not normally into this kind of thing, plus i know absolutely nothing about any shade of Lantern in the DCU. So i'll get the main book and this definitely.

This was exactly my experience as well.

am i right in assuming that none of the Batman books will crossover into Blackest Night? We're just going to have this miniseries?

That is correct.

I like the Deadman char from Wednesday Comics

Me too, but you don't really get a full exposure to him here, as he is usually immaterial and his big thing is normally possessing living persons.

[Bevbos]

Hey everyone!

I was wondering if someone could take pity on a poor office schleb who has ign.com blocked at work, and repost the images here?

It would make my Christmas!

[Mat001]

http://comicsmedia.ign.com/comics/image/article/101/1012082/blackest-night-batman-20090807020105941.jpg

http://comicsmedia.ign.com/comics/image/article/101/1012082/blackest-night-batman-20090807020109144.jpg

http://comicsmedia.ign.com/comics/image/article/101/1012082/blackest-night-batman-20090807020053598.jpg

http://comicsmedia.ign.com/comics/image/article/101/1012082/blackest-night-batman-20090807020056535.jpg

http://comicsmedia.ign.com/comics/image/article/101/1012082/blackest-night-batman-20090807020059551.jpg

http://comicsmedia.ign.com/comics/image/article/101/1012082/blackest-night-batman-20090807020102519.jpg

http://comicsmedia.ign.com/comics/image/article/101/1012082/blackest-night-batman-20090807020047645.jpg

[Karl O'Neill]

Thanks Mat.

Those are some sweet pages. This is a must read for me. As I was a huge fan of Tomasi's nightwing work.

[Nathan]

thanks for the links Mat

[jbwbubba]

Dick and Damian evidently didn't give much thought to how the Martian Manhunter was found and reanimated by the Black Lantern power ring. Their plan to place the Waynes in the vault underneath the Batcave won't stop the Black Lantern rings. They bore deeply through the soil of Mars and the material of J'Onn's crypt to reach him. Possibly, no amount of physical matter can stop those Black Lantern power rings. John Stewart saw them pulverize massive asteroids.

Buried Alien (The Fastest Post Alive!)

It would appear that Dick doesn't yet know about the Rings or that J'onn is back. At the end of the preview he says something about 'find out what Flash and GL were up against'. Possible that Batman and Robin arrived a few minutes after J'onn attacked; and Flash and GL are still battling in Gotham. I think him taking the rest of Bruce's skeleton and the Waynes is just to protect them from further violation.

[HopeLantern]

Read this today. This is definitely going to be the only tie in to BN that I get, but wow, what a story!

[drinkblatzbeer]

for those who have said they had no interest and then when seeing it got sucked in...count me in also...
i was in no way gonna pick this title up...saw it, and it was a great surprise...

[F1uke]

I extremely enjoyed this issue. There were a couple of things I didn't like, but it was surprisingly good. I was hesitant on buying it, because of lack of hope for all tie-ins, but this issue didn't let me down. I loved the chemistry between Dick and Damian, and also Deadman. I didn't like that Tim was still a dick to Dick, but what ever.

[Sean Walsh]

Enjoyed the issue. Good art. And those Black Lanterns.....heehee!

[Ronald Bryan]

I like that Deadman can get glimpses and feelings of the black rings reanimating, being dead himself. Although it does mean that at this point Dick and Damian know more than anyone else at this point. Not that there's much that can be done about that.

And yeah, on Dick taking the skeletons, I took it more that he was wanting to keep them from getting any more desecrated than they already were. By they time he went to check on Tim's parents' graves, he knew what was happening.

[BloodOps]

Enjoyed this a lot. Always love those Deadman appearances and like someone else said, Dick and Damian now know more about the situation than anyone else to a certain extent.

I also liked how this connected to BN#2 with the batsignal looking all battered with Hal landing on it in BN#2.

[Redrumbin]

Fun issue.

Hate the part when Dick actualy ''calls'' Tim.
That didn't make any sense.

[Choppa]

Now Dick has a different costume and is driving a different batmobile. Why's that stuff so hard to keep consistent.

[jerrymcl89]

I was going to avoid the BN tie-in series, but I decided to get this one since Tomasi is (after Johns) a main writer for BN. I thought it was very well-done, managing to be both a good Blackest Night story and a good, continuity-consistent current Batman book. Looking forward to the rest of the series.

[SpideyZERO]

I have low expectations on this series. But this issue proves me wrong. It was a great read. I have very few knowledge about DC Universe as a whole and about the Blackest Night event but this issue keeps me interested. Enjoy to see Dick acting more pro and the chemistry between him and Damian is well done. The Deadman fellow seems quite interesting too.

The art is surprising good. I'm looking forward to the rest of the series now!

[Dick/babs]

Damian actually shows some vulnerability when he is not able to move the bodies as Dick requests.

did Some one else than me Felt bad for the kid :frown: :frown:

[SpideyZERO]

Forgive for my lack of knowledege on human skeletons, but how long can skeletons stay that way? It must have been around 20 years that Waynes were burried and their skeletons still look...good

[Psavell2]

Forgive for my lack of knowledege on human skeletons, but how long can skeletons stay that way? It must have been around 20 years that Waynes were burried and their skeletons still look...good

I don't know about skeletons, but as far as bodies in general, alot can have to do with the conditions they're buried in. When I was about eighteen, there was a story in one of the local papers about a man who had been killed thirty years prior. Some new evidence had come to light that indicated he might've been murdered, and it had been decided that his body must be exhumed in order to make further determination. Actually, police weren't very hopeful. It was a thirty year old case, so the trail was obviously very cold and the body was sure to be completely decayed. However, as it turned out, by some bizzare fluke, when the coffin was buried, an airtight seal had been formed, completely by chance. So when they opened that coffin, the witnesses swear the man looked as if he'd been buried yesterday.

[CountAchilles]

Boy,Dick is unbelievably kind and patient with Damian.

If the same scene would've been played out with Bruce,you'd have expected a much more gruff behaviour.

Batman's getting too soft for my liking.

[Hullababy]

Looks like even the tie ins to Blackest Night are rocking. This issue was extremely enjoyable.

[Mundungus]

I need to go back to the shop and pick this up!

[ryerye17]

I disagree. It was yet another exploration of the Dick-Damian relationship that I think shouldbe confined to B&R. A lot of things were unnecessary in this issue.

And, come on, Black Lantern FLYING GRAYSONS?! Aside from emotional baggage, are they REALLY a threat?

Honestly.

I did like the Black Lantern dead Batman's enemies though. :)

[CountAchilles]

I disagree. It was yet another exploration of the Dick-Damian relationship that I think shouldbe confined to B&R. A lot of things were unnecessary in this issue.

And, come on, Black Lantern FLYING GRAYSONS?! Aside from emotional baggage, are they REALLY a threat?



I agree that too much exploration of that relationship isn't needed,but with Dick as Batman,its inevitable.Guess we'll have to attribute it to his "humanity".

As for Flying Graysons,they're good choices for villians.Sometimes,emotional baggage causes a lot of change in the way heroes think. Instead of being just another perp,they're his dead parents. Gotta love their confrontation.

[mofo]

Forgive for my lack of knowledege on human skeletons, but how long can skeletons stay that way? It must have been around 20 years that Waynes were burried and their skeletons still look...good

mistake on the artist's part obviously
while skeletons DO last a long time if untouched (a few decades i believe), they do degrade (ie become weaker, so it'll be easier to break them) and decay a bit
so, if anything, ivan reis should've drawn skeletons that were dirty and dusty...
but its not really a big deal

[nepenthes]

I picked up Batman in the store just now, figured I'd give it a read through. I made it about one third of the way, looked at pictures for rest. That's how much I'm caring about that book right now....

Then I picked up Batman Blackest Night. This is a solid book. I can only wonder, why the hell isn't Tomasi writing Batman? and Tony Daniels up next? seriously

The Batman book = the old Nightwing book, essentially. They should have let Tomasi continue what he was doing. Here's hoping he's on after Daniel.

[mofo]

. They should have let Tomasi continue what he was doing. Here's hoping he's on after Daniel.

Sorry to dash your hopes son, but after Daniel, Winick is coming back.

Also...
Black Lantern Deacon Blackfire. Woah.

[nepenthes]

Sorry to dash your hopes son, but after Daniel, Winick is coming back..

Yeah I forgot that was announced, but with the way the Batman book is going, I'll believe it when I see it. It's never too late for editorial to decide to turn the direction of the book.

I disagree. It was yet another exploration of the Dick-Damian relationship that I think shouldbe confined to B&R. .

They're in the same issue together. They're Batman & Robin. God forbid we see them interact :rolleyes:. It's not like it was overwhelming the issue either, there was alot that went on. I'm glad Morrison isn't the only one with rights on Dick and Damian. Dini's writing it as well.

[Spiffy]

Dick and Damian evidently didn't give much thought to how the Martian Manhunter was found and reanimated by the Black Lantern power ring. Their plan to place the Waynes in the vault underneath the Batcave won't stop the Black Lantern rings. They bore deeply through the soil of Mars and the material of J'Onn's crypt to reach him. Possibly, no amount of physical matter can stop those Black Lantern power rings. John Stewart saw them pulverize massive asteroids.

Buried Alien (The Fastest Post Alive!)
"Didn't think about it?"

Try "didn't know about any of it". This is all happening fairly simultaneously. Dick has no idea what's happening with other Black Lantern "attacks" at this point.

[Choppa]

I like Tomasi writing Batman more than Winnick.

[WorstThingUS]

Fun issue.

Hate the part when Dick actualy ''calls'' Tim.
That didn't make any sense.

You mean other than the fact his dead parents are now Super-Zombies?

[Retrodork]

I don't know about skeletons, but as far as bodies in general, alot can have to do with the conditions they're buried in. When I was about eighteen, there was a story in one of the local papers about a man who had been killed thirty years prior. Some new evidence had come to light that indicated he might've been murdered, and it had been decided that his body must be exhumed in order to make further determination. Actually, police weren't very hopeful. It was a thirty year old case, so the trail was obviously very cold and the body was sure to be completely decayed. However, as it turned out, by some bizzare fluke, when the coffin was buried, an airtight seal had been formed, completely by chance. So when they opened that coffin, the witnesses swear the man looked as if he'd been buried yesterday.

True dat. My dad was a homicide detective for several years and he handled plenty of exhumations. Conditions of burial are absolutely vital. One exhuming in particular was in regard to a homicide case from some ten years prior. Their was some slight ground water seepage into the casket down towards the feet, but otherwise, the corpse was remarkably intact and recognizable. My grandpa also told me of a time when he was a kid (this would be the 1920's) and an exhumation of several Civil War era graves was done here in Tulsa. The casket brought up had a glass top and you could clearly see the corpse within, very well preserved and wholly intact. But...as soon as fresh air seeped into the coffin, poof! all the flesh dessicated and you were left with pretty much bones.

[Jarath]

I disagree. It was yet another exploration of the Dick-Damian relationship that I think shouldbe confined to B&R. A lot of things were unnecessary in this issue.

And, come on, Black Lantern FLYING GRAYSONS?! Aside from emotional baggage, are they REALLY a threat?

Honestly.

I did like the Black Lantern dead Batman's enemies though. :)

Well we really don't know much about what powers the black rings embue people with. When you consider that the other power rings can make a non-powered being into a very powerful warrior the Flying Graysons could pose some issues especially to Batman (no powers).

Anyway I really enjoyed this issue. I've not been reading B&R and I am going to get it in trade but I really liked the interplay between Dick and Damien. I also enjoyed Deadman who isn't a character I am familiar with. The art was pretty nice, the story was compelling and I look forward to the rest of the series. Hope the other tie-in minis are as good.

[Psavell2]

The casket brought up had a glass top and you could clearly see the corpse within, very well preserved and wholly intact. But...as soon as fresh air seeped into the coffin, poof! all the flesh dessicated and you were left with pretty much bones.

Yeah, I've read of that happening sometimes with artifacts and bodies sealed in tombs.

[Mat001]

Mummies and such from ancient Egypt. Yep, that happens.

[Sean Walsh]

And, come on, Black Lantern FLYING GRAYSONS?! Aside from emotional baggage, are they REALLY a threat?

Honestly.

The bolded part is the point of BLACKEST NIGHT.

They get Dick's emotions all riled up (much like Dolphin and Tula did to Garth over in BN #2) to the point where........YOINK! they rip out his heart and add to the collective power of the Black Lantern.

We're not really expecting a 5-star MMA style fight between Dick Grayson and his parents, but if there's a way to f up Batman more than having his parents' corpses trying to kill him, I'd like to know so that I can laugh in response and say "Nope, pretty sure this is worse...."

[ryerye17]

Winick is coming back.


is that bad? I love Winick =)

[Don Quixote]

I enjoyed this, which was surprising, because I'm not usually keen on event tie ins. Dick and Damien interacting on a level that's deeper than simply adversarial. That's one thing I've found Tomasi does very well, character interactions.

Deadman is good to read, and his previous encounters with Dick in Nightwing: Year One and that Brave & the Bold issue were fun. Not so much fun this time, but still well done.

And I'm glad to see that any conflict between Dick and Tim is relatively one sided, and can be put aside in times of crisis. I do worry about how Tim will react to seeing his parents, especially after his attempts to brink Connor back, and his angsting over whether to use the Lazarus pit for Stephanie and his dad.

[pariah-1972]

This was really dark and i loved it honestly i'm glad to see Deadman in this issue since him and Dick have a lot in common they make a great fit.

Damien was acting very un-bratty which was a little weird.

Tomasi is a really good writer when it comes to really morbid stuff.

[Red Lotus]

I picked up Batman in the store just now, figured I'd give it a read through. I made it about one third of the way, looked at pictures for rest. That's how much I'm caring about that book right now....

Then I picked up Batman Blackest Night. This is a solid book. I can only wonder, why the hell isn't Tomasi writing Batman? and Tony Daniels up next? seriously

The Batman book = the old Nightwing book, essentially. They should have let Tomasi continue what he was doing. Here's hoping he's on after Daniel.

I agree they should have let Tomasi take over Batman. His whole Nightwing run felt like he was setting Nightwing up to become the next Batman and it would have been a good read to see where Tomasi would have taken Grayson as Batman. But I guess this will have to do.

[Chris S.]

I picked up Batman in the store just now, figured I'd give it a read through. I made it about one third of the way, looked at pictures for rest. That's how much I'm caring about that book right now....

Then I picked up Batman Blackest Night. This is a solid book. I can only wonder, why the hell isn't Tomasi writing Batman? and Tony Daniels up next? seriously

The Batman book = the old Nightwing book, essentially. They should have let Tomasi continue what he was doing. Here's hoping he's on after Daniel.

As a Spidey fan I am glad to see Bagley on the title. Not that imrpessed with the story but Bagley alone was great.

[Shush]

Thought the story was interesting, but I really didnt care for the writing. Saying "damn" twice in the first 2 pages seemed so forced. Also Damian's characterization seemed way off compared to the other batbooks. You could have removed some of his dialogue and I would have thought it was Tim.

[pariah-1972]

Thought the story was interesting, but I really didnt care for the writing. Saying "damn" twice in the first 2 pages seemed so forced. Also Damian's characterization seemed way off compared to the other batbooks. You could have removed some of his dialogue and I would have thought it was Tim.Well you could theorize two things about this 1. his respect for his father has grown since his death 2. or he is steadily growing up and this shows a newfound respect for people.

[Bookem Danno]

Can anyone briefly recount how or where these people died?


Roland Desmond ….
Arnold Wesker ….
Anatoli Knyazev ….
Edmund Dorrance ….
Deacon Joseph Blackfire ….
Tom Trigger ….
Arnold Etchinson ….
John and Mary Grayson ….rise….
Jack and Janet Drake ….rise….
http://i29.tinypic.com/2vv11n4.jpg

:confused:

[worstblogever]

I don't know about skeletons, but as far as bodies in general, alot can have to do with the conditions they're buried in. When I was about eighteen, there was a story in one of the local papers about a man who had been killed thirty years prior. Some new evidence had come to light that indicated he might've been murdered, and it had been decided that his body must be exhumed in order to make further determination. Actually, police weren't very hopeful. It was a thirty year old case, so the trail was obviously very cold and the body was sure to be completely decayed. However, as it turned out, by some bizzare fluke, when the coffin was buried, an airtight seal had been formed, completely by chance. So when they opened that coffin, the witnesses swear the man looked as if he'd been buried yesterday.

True dat. My dad was a homicide detective for several years and he handled plenty of exhumations. Conditions of burial are absolutely vital. One exhuming in particular was in regard to a homicide case from some ten years prior. Their was some slight ground water seepage into the casket down towards the feet, but otherwise, the corpse was remarkably intact and recognizable. My grandpa also told me of a time when he was a kid (this would be the 1920's) and an exhumation of several Civil War era graves was done here in Tulsa. The casket brought up had a glass top and you could clearly see the corpse within, very well preserved and wholly intact. But...as soon as fresh air seeped into the coffin, poof! all the flesh dessicated and you were left with pretty much bones.

I gotta point out, the coffins of Thomas and Martha Wayne were already exhumed once by Ra's Al Ghul as a way to keep Batman distracted during the "Tower of Babel" arc of JLA. Exposing the bodies to the elements then may be what has them probably would guarantee the Waynes would realistically have been in a state of decay, by this point.

[worstblogever]

Can anyone briefly recount how or where these people died?

:confused:

Roland Desmond- Blockbuster was shot and killed by Tarantula in Nightwing #93.
Arnold Wesker- The original Ventriloquist, shot and killed by the Tally Man, on behalf of the Great White Shark in Detective Comics #818.
Anatoli Knyazev- KGBeast was killed by the Tally Man, thrown off a roof on behalf of the Great White Shark in Detective Comics #817.
Edmund Dorrance- King Snake, killed when he fell into a deep crevasse while battling for control of the Kobra Cult with Batman, Robin, and Bane in Batman: Gotham Knights #49.
Deacon Joseph Blackfire- Murdered by his own cult of brainwashed followers, after Batman refused to kill and martyr him in Batman: The Cult #4.
Trigger Twins- Thomas and Tad Trigger, shot dead in the streets by the current Vigilante and Wild Dog during the Battle of Metropolis in Infinite Crisis #7.
Arnold Etchison- The serial killer known as Abattoir was killed when he was allowed to fall to his death into a vat of molten metal by Azrael while he was wearing the mantle of the Batman in Batman #508.
The Flying Graysons- Fell to their deaths when their trapeze act was sabotaged by gangsters working for Tony Zucco in Detective Comics #38.
Jack Drake- Killed by a bladed boomerang to the chest thrown by Digger Harkness, the original Captain Boomerang in Identity Crisis #1.
Janet Drake- Killed via poison by the Obeah Man as part of a sacrifice to the spirits of Baron Samedi and Papa Legbra in Detective Comics #621.

Quite a bit of homework you had me do there. :cool:

[DavidAllred]

Really liked the issue... I thought it had a lot going for it, and I have to say I'm enjoying Dick and Damian far better than I ever thought I would.

Blackest Night is all the way around living up to the hype for me... but I'm holding back my joy because I've been built up and severely let down before.

Nevertheless, so far so good for this reader!!

[ryerye17]

Roland Desmond- Blockbuster was shot and killed by Tarantula in Nightwing #93.
Arnold Wesker- The original Ventriloquist, shot and killed by the Tally Man, on behalf of the Great White Shark in Detective Comics #818.
Anatoli Knyazev- KGBeast was killed by the Tally Man, thrown off a roof on behalf of the Great White Shark in Detective Comics #817.
Edmund Dorrance- King Snake, killed when he fell into a deep crevasse while battling for control of the Kobra Cult with Batman, Robin, and Bane in Batman: Gotham Knights #49.
Deacon Joseph Blackfire- Murdered by his own cult of brainwashed followers, after Batman refused to kill and martyr him in Batman: The Cult #4.
Trigger Twins- Thomas and Tad Trigger, shot dead in the streets by the current Vigilante and Wild Dog during the Battle of Metropolis in Infinite Crisis #7.
Arnold Etchison- The serial killer known as Abattoir was killed when he was allowed to fall to his death into a vat of molten metal by Azrael while he was wearing the mantle of the Batman in Batman #508.
The Flying Graysons- Fell to their deaths when their trapeze act was sabotaged by gangsters working for Tony Zucco in Detective Comics #38.
Jack Drake- Killed by a bladed boomerang to the chest thrown by Digger Harkness, the original Captain Boomerang in Identity Crisis #1.
Janet Drake- Killed via poison by the Obeah Man as part of a sacrifice to the spirits of Baron Samedi and Papa Legbra in Detective Comics #621.

Quite a bit of homework you had me do there. :cool:

Well done sir:smile:

[Karl O'Neill]

Very very good first issue.

Glad they are only 3 issues each.

Nice little solid mini for the collection. Tomasi is a great writer.

[Karl O'Neill]

Roland Desmond- Blockbuster was shot and killed by Tarantula in Nightwing #93.
Arnold Wesker- The original Ventriloquist, shot and killed by the Tally Man, on behalf of the Great White Shark in Detective Comics #818.
Anatoli Knyazev- KGBeast was killed by the Tally Man, thrown off a roof on behalf of the Great White Shark in Detective Comics #817.
Edmund Dorrance- King Snake, killed when he fell into a deep crevasse while battling for control of the Kobra Cult with Batman, Robin, and Bane in Batman: Gotham Knights #49.
Deacon Joseph Blackfire- Murdered by his own cult of brainwashed followers, after Batman refused to kill and martyr him in Batman: The Cult #4.
Trigger Twins- Thomas and Tad Trigger, shot dead in the streets by the current Vigilante and Wild Dog during the Battle of Metropolis in Infinite Crisis #7.
Arnold Etchison- The serial killer known as Abattoir was killed when he was allowed to fall to his death into a vat of molten metal by Azrael while he was wearing the mantle of the Batman in Batman #508.
The Flying Graysons- Fell to their deaths when their trapeze act was sabotaged by gangsters working for Tony Zucco in Detective Comics #38.
Jack Drake- Killed by a bladed boomerang to the chest thrown by Digger Harkness, the original Captain Boomerang in Identity Crisis #1.
Janet Drake- Killed via poison by the Obeah Man as part of a sacrifice to the spirits of Baron Samedi and Papa Legbra in Detective Comics #621.

Quite a bit of homework you had me do there. :cool:

Jack drake was killed in Identity crisis #6 I think, Not #1. That was sue :-).

And was that really the current vigilane in infinite crisis killing the trigger twins? They change the vigilante every couple of years.

[90'sCartoonMan]

Now Dick has a different costume and is driving a different batmobile.

Not anymore he's not, that thing crashed. Probably the most nonviolent crash ever seeing how Bats and Robin were just...standing there on the ground. I had a couple other nitpicks, mostly Damien's characterization (even the way he talks) and Tim being called in (the events of Blackest Night are all happening in quick succession, but I get the feeling Red Robin is going to somehow get from Paris to Gotham in no time at all).

But you know what? Black Lantern Arnold Wesker with a Scarface construct is so awesome it makes up for all of it.

[Calvin Government]

Does anyone else think it's interesting that, because of Deadman, Dick and Damian now know more than any other living being in the Universe about what's going on? And that they know Oracle, who Blackest Night #2 made a point of introducing and connecting to Hal? Seems like this issue might have some pretty strong repercussions in the main mini.

[Captain Jim]

Well done sir:smile: .....

Indeed!

[Captain Jim]

I hadn't intended to pick this up, because I'm trying to steer away from buying umteen unnecessary tie-in titles. (I wasn't even sure about BN at first.) But once I saw the preview, I knew I'd be getting it. I wasn't disappointed. Both story and art were top notch. And as much as I hate to reinforce the Winick bashers--yes, this was better than the Batman comic that was released at the same time.

[Mobey Wee]

Very very good first issue.

Glad they are only 3 issues each.

Nice little solid mini for the collection. Tomasi is a great writer.

I am really enjoying Tomasi's stuff. I've been looking for more DC to read, GL and The GL Corps being the only titles I was collecting, but after reading and enjoying this so much, I'll probably look for more by Tomasi, if anyone has any other suggestions of his, or other writers, i'll gladly listen.

But yes, very good issue. I don't know enough about DC for all of it to matter, but even so, a very enjoyable read.

[Captain Jim]

I am really enjoying Tomasi's stuff. I've been looking for more DC to read, GL and The GL Corps being the only titles I was collecting, but after reading and enjoying this so much, I'll probably look for more by Tomasi, if anyone has any other suggestions of his, or other writers, i'll gladly listen.

The Mighty is outstanding. But you really need to read it from the beginning.

[Nathan]

i havent read many of the post's but waht exactly did Tim say to Dick over the phone, can someone please tell me

[Phantom Druid]

both batman and robin saying "damn" in their first lines was kind of noticeably awkward i thoughtYeah I noticed that too, then there were a few more damns later on, heh. I really like Tomasi's GLC, and his Black Adam was awesome, but i'm not feelin' his Batman & Robin at all. Maybe it's just cuz it falls short after reading Morrison & Quitely's B&R, I dunno. The pace of Morrison's B&R was just so fluid, and Quiteley's art fit Damien better. I would only recommend this title to the completists out there who have to have everything Blackest Night. I hope the Superman is better. Tomasi still has my favorite DC book out there now, so no foul on him.

[RunningWithJuanPablo]

This issue really surprised me, not that I was expecting it to be lame or anything, but it was superbly done in my opinion. The art was nice as well. I'm not sure how this will reflect in the other Bat-titles since it's probably self-contained, but with the parents back, that's clearly a big deal for the main bat players, Damien excluded for now. Another winner.

[RunningWithJuanPablo]

Roland Desmond- Blockbuster was shot and killed by Tarantula in Nightwing #93.
Arnold Wesker- The original Ventriloquist, shot and killed by the Tally Man, on behalf of the Great White Shark in Detective Comics #818.
Anatoli Knyazev- KGBeast was killed by the Tally Man, thrown off a roof on behalf of the Great White Shark in Detective Comics #817.
Edmund Dorrance- King Snake, killed when he fell into a deep crevasse while battling for control of the Kobra Cult with Batman, Robin, and Bane in Batman: Gotham Knights #49.
Deacon Joseph Blackfire- Murdered by his own cult of brainwashed followers, after Batman refused to kill and martyr him in Batman: The Cult #4.
Trigger Twins- Thomas and Tad Trigger, shot dead in the streets by the current Vigilante and Wild Dog during the Battle of Metropolis in Infinite Crisis #7.
Arnold Etchison- The serial killer known as Abattoir was killed when he was allowed to fall to his death into a vat of molten metal by Azrael while he was wearing the mantle of the Batman in Batman #508.
The Flying Graysons- Fell to their deaths when their trapeze act was sabotaged by gangsters working for Tony Zucco in Detective Comics #38.
Jack Drake- Killed by a bladed boomerang to the chest thrown by Digger Harkness, the original Captain Boomerang in Identity Crisis #1.
Janet Drake- Killed via poison by the Obeah Man as part of a sacrifice to the spirits of Baron Samedi and Papa Legbra in Detective Comics #621.

Quite a bit of homework you had me do there. :cool:

Awesome, that really helped me out. :smile:

[CountAchilles]

Roland Desmond- Blockbuster was shot and killed by Tarantula in Nightwing #93.
Arnold Wesker- The original Ventriloquist, shot and killed by the Tally Man, on behalf of the Great White Shark in Detective Comics #818.
Anatoli Knyazev- KGBeast was killed by the Tally Man, thrown off a roof on behalf of the Great White Shark in Detective Comics #817.
Edmund Dorrance- King Snake, killed when he fell into a deep crevasse while battling for control of the Kobra Cult with Batman, Robin, and Bane in Batman: Gotham Knights #49.
Deacon Joseph Blackfire- Murdered by his own cult of brainwashed followers, after Batman refused to kill and martyr him in Batman: The Cult #4.
Trigger Twins- Thomas and Tad Trigger, shot dead in the streets by the current Vigilante and Wild Dog during the Battle of Metropolis in Infinite Crisis #7.
Arnold Etchison- The serial killer known as Abattoir was killed when he was allowed to fall to his death into a vat of molten metal by Azrael while he was wearing the mantle of the Batman in Batman #508.
The Flying Graysons- Fell to their deaths when their trapeze act was sabotaged by gangsters working for Tony Zucco in Detective Comics #38.
Jack Drake- Killed by a bladed boomerang to the chest thrown by Digger Harkness, the original Captain Boomerang in Identity Crisis #1.
Janet Drake- Killed via poison by the Obeah Man as part of a sacrifice to the spirits of Baron Samedi and Papa Legbra in Detective Comics #621.

Quite a bit of homework you had me do there. :cool:


Cheers. That was very helpful.

I don't think Red Robin's going to make any appearance atleast not anytime soon,he's too busy with his 'Find Bruce' mission. And,it'd be much better if he stuck to it. I like the lad's dedication.

[Phantom Druid]

......edit......

[Captain Jim]

I don't think Red Robin's going to make any appearance atleast not anytime soon,he's too busy with his 'Find Bruce' mission.

BLACKEST NIGHT: BATMAN #2 (OF 3)
Written by Peter J. Tomasi; Art by Adrian Syaf and John Dell; Cover by Andy Kubert; variant cover by Bill Sienkiewicz

The Dark Knight continues his journey into BLACKEST NIGHT! Will the new Batman join his predecessor in the grave? Will Red Robin's reunion with his father be bitter and bloody? Can anyone escape the horror of the Black Lanterns? Find out in this new installment of the 3-issue miniseries from writer Peter J. Tomasi (GREEN LANTERN CORPS, THE MIGHTY) and up-and-comer Adrian Syaf!
DC Universe 32pg. Color $2.99 US

http://www.dccomics.com/media/product/1/2/12830_400x600.jpg

[CountAchilles]

BLACKEST NIGHT: BATMAN #2 (OF 3)
Written by Peter J. Tomasi; Art by Adrian Syaf and John Dell; Cover by Andy Kubert; variant cover by Bill Sienkiewicz

The Dark Knight continues his journey into BLACKEST NIGHT! Will the new Batman join his predecessor in the grave? Will Red Robin's reunion with his father be bitter and bloody? Can anyone escape the horror of the Black Lanterns? Find out in this new installment of the 3-issue miniseries from writer Peter J. Tomasi (GREEN LANTERN CORPS, THE MIGHTY) and up-and-comer Adrian Syaf!
DC Universe 32pg. Color $2.99 US

http://www.dccomics.com/media/product/1/2/12830_400x600.jpg


Well,guess I jumped the gun.

[nepenthes]

that's KGBeast in the bottom right corner. any other villains there? the one with the ponytail could even be Deacon Blackfire

I called this two months ago btw :cool:.

woo me

[nepenthes]

^ so you're not actually pirating large volumes of material, you're actually trying to make money by selling it on?

LAME

[Mobey Wee]

Can anybody give me a little background on Deadman? I recognize him, but know absolutely nothing about him.

[nepenthes]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deadman :confused:

[Mobey Wee]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deadman :confused:

That's no fun. I think I'll just wait for someone who enjoys talking about DC characters instead.:wink:

[Mobey Wee]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deadman :confused:

FINE THEN! Geez, you'd think this was a comic book forum or something...

Edit: So I thought the character was interesting from the issue, but the wiki entry wasn't as much so. Point being, I enjoy getting these things in forums, just to get more points of view, and it's usually a fan of whatever is in question who will speak up and share their knowledge. Yes I know how wiki works, but I enjoy answering questions about characters I like, and I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one. It's not that I don't want to use wikipedia, I would just rather use forums. Just thought I'd explain, to avoid any further confusion.

[Mundungus]

I thought this was okay. I like the overall premise, with Dick and Damien teaming up with Deadman. Tomasi is stellar on GLC, but this isn't his best work.

Tomasi might work better with certain artists. I'm not sure what else Adrian Syaf has done but I thought his artwork here was standard-fare, though there were certain panels that popped. It might have also been the pacing. I'll probably wait for reviews on future issues before I pick it up.

I have to say I did like the scene in the beginning when Dick tells Damien to get the Batmobile, due to Damien's emotional response to seeing the Wayne family graves (Bruce, especially).

Though, are Dick and Damien driving multiple Batmobiles? Was it just a whoops that a standard Batmobile was used versus the new B&R one?

[MattyB]

It surprised me as well with how great it would.