CURSD BLADE
09-27-2005, 09:13 PM
So, its been two years since I dove back into the world of comics after a three year absence. It was Batman: Hush that pulled me back in. Unfortunately, I was a Marvel Zombie growing up in the 90's (I am 18 now). I fell in love with the character of Batman ever since and have bought over 50 TPBs and HCs since then, brushing up on my Bat-continuity. I had also been collecting every regular Batman title until I was better able to dicipher between a good Bat-story and a bad Bat-story.
That in mind, now I only buy Superman/Batman, Batman, All Star Batman & Robin, The Boy Wonder. I was just wondering what everyone would say the "state of the Bat-titles" would be. So, rate them and we will see which titles are good and bad.
Here is my ratings:
Batman
Writer: Judd Winick
Artist: Doug Mahnke
Rating (grading scale): A
Since this team debuted, the book has benefited greatly from having a regular creative team, giving it much needed stability. If ever a modern writer's style was suited for Batman, its Winick. He has turned Batman into a street-level crime comic with a superhero edge, and he is one of the few writers that truly get the character and how his mind works.
Mahnke's pencils are also greatly suited to the character and the writer's direction. Mahnke's dark and gritty depiction of Gotham and his sketchy yet stylized vision of The Batman himself is a very definitive version in todays market. His style also caters to the expansive action Winick throws in as well as the subtle character moments. Batman hasn't been this good since Lee and Loeb left two years ago.
Detective Comics
Writer: David Lapham
Artists: Ramon Bachs
Rating: n/a
I haven't followed this title since Lapham's second issue. I liked it but had to trim the pull list so I have no comment. Is it any good now?
Batman: Gotham Knights
Writer: A.J. Lieberman
Artist: Al Barrionuevo
Rating: n/a
I haven't followed this title since I was let down by the first few issues of Hush 2. Lackluster handling of the villian and poor writing and art turned me off so I have no comment. Is it good now?
Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight
Writer: rotating
Artist: rotating
Rating: n/a
Haven't followed this one at all (except for some early trades) so no comment. Has it been good?
Superman/Batman
Writer: Jeph Loeb
Artist: Ed McGuinness, Pat Lee, Michael Turner, Carlos Pacheco, Ian Churchill
Rating: A-
If the grade were based solely on the writing, this would get an A+. Loeb truly understands the relationship between the two icons and his exploration of the characters by comparison and contrasting them makes for great character studies. Not only that, but Loeb writes some damn good superhero stories that all boast an epic feel. This is the equivelent of a summer popcorn movie.
McGuinness captures the widescreen epic feel that Loeb was striving for in the first and current arcs, and has proven the definitive artist for the series.
Turner's pencils contrast McGuinness' work greatly, and I feel that hindered the book slightly. Mike Turner is an artist with many limitations but Loeb wrote to his strenghts and, because of that, he turned in a great body of work. Expansive, otherwordly environments and attractive (though gratuitous and unrealistic) women were the order of the arc though Turner also delivered some wonderfully rendered fight scenes and a Batman that oozed intimidation and darkness. His depiction of The Dark Knight is a sight to behold.
Pacheco's romp through an 'elseworld-esque' DCU was as expansive, cramped, and action-packed as you would expect from an artist of his caliber. Loeb packed in a hugh crossover into a 5 issue arc so that Pacheco could show off his ability to throw numerous characters into chaotic battles and the whole thing came across as Perez level epic. Some of Pacheco's best work to date.
The fill-ins were sub-par though. While Loeb gave Pat Lee mechs to play with, his manga-esque art was very much a contrast to the rest of the artists and it broke to flow of the art and the writer's narrative greatly. His pencils sketchy and exagerated pencils were flat-out ugly when it came to the quieter moments of the issue.
Ian Churchill is an artist who is influenced greatly by a Image/Rob Liefeld style. His style would have been much more appropriate if it followed Turner's arc but it was sandwiched between Pacheco and McGuinness' and suffered by comparison because of it. His unrealistic and exaggerated pencils didn't fit the reflective and quiet tone of the issue he did and it showed greatly.
But currently, the title is back on track art wise with McGuinness. The current arc is a mixed bag. Its got an epic feel yet leans a little to much into the parody/humor side and doesn't focus much on the two leads. Also, it is plagued by lateness that really hurts the flow of the book.
All Star Batman & Robin, The Boy Wonder
Writer: Frank Miller
Artist: Jim Lee
Rating: A+
Though we are only two issues in, so far I feel that this title is one of the greatest out-of-continuity reimaginings of Batman ever. Miller's edgy, modern, noirish sensibilities just fit with the darkness of the character and here, he gives the well-loved icon a radical new makeover and it makes perfect sense given The Batman's origins and personality. Miller plays with everything that the mainstream public knows about Batman but distorts them to a disturbing and engaging degree.
Jim Lee's highly stylized, action-oriented, angular style is probably the most definitive version of the character since Neil Adams first started drawing Batman in the 60's. Lee's epic, action driven style is probably the only that could keep up with Miller's unrelenting scripts. These two mesh together amazingly.
Robin
Writer: Bill Willingham
Artist: Scott McDaniels
Rating: n/a
Haven't followed it in a year so no comment. Is it good?
Nightwing
Writer: Devin Grayson
Artist: Phil Hester & Cliff Chiang
Rating: n/a
Haven't followed it since Year One so no comment. Is it good?
Catwoman
Writer: Will Pfeifer
Artist: Pete Woods
Rating: n/a
I only read the initial issue of the new creative team. I thought it was decent but not compelling enough to keep buying (despite amazing art by Woods) so no comment.
Batgirl
Writer: Andersen Gabrych
Artist: Alejandro Garza & Pop Mahn
Rating: n/a
Haven't followed it since the crossover with Robin last year so no comment. Is it any good?
Birds of Prey
Writer: Gail Simone
Artist: Joe Bennett
Rating: n/a
Haven't followed it since Benes left the book. How is it now?
That in mind, now I only buy Superman/Batman, Batman, All Star Batman & Robin, The Boy Wonder. I was just wondering what everyone would say the "state of the Bat-titles" would be. So, rate them and we will see which titles are good and bad.
Here is my ratings:
Batman
Writer: Judd Winick
Artist: Doug Mahnke
Rating (grading scale): A
Since this team debuted, the book has benefited greatly from having a regular creative team, giving it much needed stability. If ever a modern writer's style was suited for Batman, its Winick. He has turned Batman into a street-level crime comic with a superhero edge, and he is one of the few writers that truly get the character and how his mind works.
Mahnke's pencils are also greatly suited to the character and the writer's direction. Mahnke's dark and gritty depiction of Gotham and his sketchy yet stylized vision of The Batman himself is a very definitive version in todays market. His style also caters to the expansive action Winick throws in as well as the subtle character moments. Batman hasn't been this good since Lee and Loeb left two years ago.
Detective Comics
Writer: David Lapham
Artists: Ramon Bachs
Rating: n/a
I haven't followed this title since Lapham's second issue. I liked it but had to trim the pull list so I have no comment. Is it any good now?
Batman: Gotham Knights
Writer: A.J. Lieberman
Artist: Al Barrionuevo
Rating: n/a
I haven't followed this title since I was let down by the first few issues of Hush 2. Lackluster handling of the villian and poor writing and art turned me off so I have no comment. Is it good now?
Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight
Writer: rotating
Artist: rotating
Rating: n/a
Haven't followed this one at all (except for some early trades) so no comment. Has it been good?
Superman/Batman
Writer: Jeph Loeb
Artist: Ed McGuinness, Pat Lee, Michael Turner, Carlos Pacheco, Ian Churchill
Rating: A-
If the grade were based solely on the writing, this would get an A+. Loeb truly understands the relationship between the two icons and his exploration of the characters by comparison and contrasting them makes for great character studies. Not only that, but Loeb writes some damn good superhero stories that all boast an epic feel. This is the equivelent of a summer popcorn movie.
McGuinness captures the widescreen epic feel that Loeb was striving for in the first and current arcs, and has proven the definitive artist for the series.
Turner's pencils contrast McGuinness' work greatly, and I feel that hindered the book slightly. Mike Turner is an artist with many limitations but Loeb wrote to his strenghts and, because of that, he turned in a great body of work. Expansive, otherwordly environments and attractive (though gratuitous and unrealistic) women were the order of the arc though Turner also delivered some wonderfully rendered fight scenes and a Batman that oozed intimidation and darkness. His depiction of The Dark Knight is a sight to behold.
Pacheco's romp through an 'elseworld-esque' DCU was as expansive, cramped, and action-packed as you would expect from an artist of his caliber. Loeb packed in a hugh crossover into a 5 issue arc so that Pacheco could show off his ability to throw numerous characters into chaotic battles and the whole thing came across as Perez level epic. Some of Pacheco's best work to date.
The fill-ins were sub-par though. While Loeb gave Pat Lee mechs to play with, his manga-esque art was very much a contrast to the rest of the artists and it broke to flow of the art and the writer's narrative greatly. His pencils sketchy and exagerated pencils were flat-out ugly when it came to the quieter moments of the issue.
Ian Churchill is an artist who is influenced greatly by a Image/Rob Liefeld style. His style would have been much more appropriate if it followed Turner's arc but it was sandwiched between Pacheco and McGuinness' and suffered by comparison because of it. His unrealistic and exaggerated pencils didn't fit the reflective and quiet tone of the issue he did and it showed greatly.
But currently, the title is back on track art wise with McGuinness. The current arc is a mixed bag. Its got an epic feel yet leans a little to much into the parody/humor side and doesn't focus much on the two leads. Also, it is plagued by lateness that really hurts the flow of the book.
All Star Batman & Robin, The Boy Wonder
Writer: Frank Miller
Artist: Jim Lee
Rating: A+
Though we are only two issues in, so far I feel that this title is one of the greatest out-of-continuity reimaginings of Batman ever. Miller's edgy, modern, noirish sensibilities just fit with the darkness of the character and here, he gives the well-loved icon a radical new makeover and it makes perfect sense given The Batman's origins and personality. Miller plays with everything that the mainstream public knows about Batman but distorts them to a disturbing and engaging degree.
Jim Lee's highly stylized, action-oriented, angular style is probably the most definitive version of the character since Neil Adams first started drawing Batman in the 60's. Lee's epic, action driven style is probably the only that could keep up with Miller's unrelenting scripts. These two mesh together amazingly.
Robin
Writer: Bill Willingham
Artist: Scott McDaniels
Rating: n/a
Haven't followed it in a year so no comment. Is it good?
Nightwing
Writer: Devin Grayson
Artist: Phil Hester & Cliff Chiang
Rating: n/a
Haven't followed it since Year One so no comment. Is it good?
Catwoman
Writer: Will Pfeifer
Artist: Pete Woods
Rating: n/a
I only read the initial issue of the new creative team. I thought it was decent but not compelling enough to keep buying (despite amazing art by Woods) so no comment.
Batgirl
Writer: Andersen Gabrych
Artist: Alejandro Garza & Pop Mahn
Rating: n/a
Haven't followed it since the crossover with Robin last year so no comment. Is it any good?
Birds of Prey
Writer: Gail Simone
Artist: Joe Bennett
Rating: n/a
Haven't followed it since Benes left the book. How is it now?