Batman 300 and up (reviews by shaxper)

[shaxper]

That seems like an odd decision. Why would you only want to read half of a story, especially if you have the other issue available to you?

Because the stories have been utterly forgettable and haven't left me with any desire to see how they conclude, so why waste my time? As long as I have a reasonable impression of the story (enough to satisfy my curiosity) it doesn't make sense to read on if I don't feel compelled to read on. I'd rather push through and get to some stories I actually enjoy.

Besides, my recollection is that Conway has some really good stories coming up shortly down the pike, toward the end of his run.

I've seen a few truly GOOD stories come out of him already, but they've been few and far between. I hope to see more as the run progresses. I think I recall really enjoying the vampire storyline coming up, part of which I read about five years ago.

[shaxper]

thanks shaxper; it was a cool run. i bought 300-400 off ebay for around $90 i think. most in very fine condition from memory. i love reading older batmans prior to the 2000's but the 70s and 80s run was very cool

Wow. VERY nice deal! Have you read through them yet? If not, It'd be fun for us to compare notes as you do so.

[zryson]

Wow. VERY nice deal! Have you read through them yet? If not, It'd be fun for us to compare notes as you do so.

hi shaxper, i have read through some. i really like the cover to 300, the last batman story. for some reason that cover always resonated with me. i think it was a combination of the art and him standing there half in shadows and the words the last batman story in bold lettering and i thought wow, have to read this.

i also really like the vampire arc with dick grayson getting bitten. vampires are always so interesting and then batman gets bitten too! it was like sitting on the edge of your seat entertainment.

[shaxper]

i also really like the vampire arc with dick grayson getting bitten. vampires are always so interesting and then batman gets bitten too! it was like sitting on the edge of your seat entertainment.

That's the very next story arc, which I'll hopefully be starting tomorrow. Funny you should mention it just now!

[Aaron Kashtan]

Batman #312 I've had this one in my collection since I was twelve years old and joyously grabbing up any old Batman issue I could find at my LCS. This was always the one that I laughed at, an absurdly bad cover with an absurdly bad villain (Calendar Man??). Now having read the Len Wein run up to this point, I knew that I had mistakenly judged a book by its cover. Surely this was going to be an excellent comic and Calendar Man would somehow prove to be a decent and compelling antagonist.

Wrong on both accounts.

This issue was terrible!

For some reason this story was included in the first Greatest Batman Stories Ever Told volume. I don't understand why, unless it was because of the Simonson artwork.

On another note, I have yet to read a David V. Reed Batman story that impressed me. His stuff is serviceable and not positively bad, but not exciting at all.

[shaxper]

For some reason this story was included in the first Greatest Batman Stories Ever Told volume. I don't understand why, unless it was because of the Simonson artwork.

It's funny. I've owned that volume for years now and have read it numerous times, yet somehow I'd completely forgotten the inclusion of that story. I too have no idea why it's in there.

[shaxper]

Batman 349

"Blood Sport"
writer: Gerry Conway
art: Gene Colan and Alfredo Alcala

Grade: A-

The issue begins with Batman swinging past the Hollwood sign, and an entire page of narration musing on Bruce being led into a trap. We watch him for another page and then cut to a completely different story (this one continues in Detective). A weird byproduct of intertwining the two core Batman titles, I suppose, but it reads more as a cheap and intrusive advertisement, actively compromising the tone and pacing of the story that follows.

The rest of the story is a perfect fit for Conway and Colan. Robin being abducted by vampires is a simple story that will be easy for Conway to tell without getting too caught up in explanations and flashbacks, and the premise allows Colan to contribute amazing tone and shocking visuals in his panels. I'm a sucker for a good classic horror story to begin with, but this is absolutely the right team for the job. That was nowhere clearer than when Robin stumbled upon two slaughtered bodies in the mansion that were being drained for blood. Wow.

The entire plot in one long sentence: Robin gets kidnapped by his supposed girlfriend, finds out she's a vampire, escapes, gets rescued by a priest who just happens to be conveniently driving by, and then we discover that Robin's been bit on the neck.

Only two big lapses in logic this issue. One is still the idea of Robin having a girlfriend while he's getting romantically serious with Starfire in the pages of New Teen Titans, but there seems to be absolutely no acknowledgment of that title in the Bat Office whatsoever. I can understand their not consciously trying to keep up with the continuity of a title outside of their office, but it seems like they've gone out of their way NOT to acknowledge Robin's involvement in that title at all over the course of the last two years. Why is that?

The other problem in this issue is when Robin sets a fire in order to burn off the rope that's tying his wrists together. Granted, his gloves may be heat resistant, but his arms aren't. He;d have to get pretty close to that uncontrollably burning fire and hold that pose for a few moments before that rope would begin to char.

There are also two B plots; one in which Alfred hires the Human Target to double as Bruce Wayne and prove to Vicki Vale that Bruce is not Batman (this was hinted at last issue, but Vicki apparently revealed her belief in the pages of Detective). The other plot involves Gordan teaming up with Jason Bard to investigate the new police commissioner and potentially bring him down.


"The Man, The Bullet, The Cat" Part 2
writer: Bruce Jones
art: Trevor Van Eeden and Larry Mahlstept

grade: C-

Part 2 of a story in which Selina has failed to prevent the shooting of a candidate for labor union president. Though the great characterization from last issue continues here, especially as Catwoman grows more upset with herself and more resolved, coolly delivering great lines like "Sorry, Mr. President--But I don't like to lose!" after pulling out an 80 MM Howitzer in order to test a security system, the plot just falls apart in this one. Selina's security measures get more and more fantastic (where did they get a huge, howitzer proof, plastic dome on a moment's notice--and on who's budget?), and the whole thing descends into another quick mystery to be solved in a moment's notice. How could you miss out on who the would-be assassins were, anyway? They were the only two unlikable characters in the story.

Oh well.

[Aaron Kashtan]

Only two big lapses in logic this issue. One is still the idea of Robin having a girlfriend while he's getting romantically serious with Starfire in the pages of New Teen Titans, but there seems to be absolutely no acknowledgment of that title in the Bat Office whatsoever. I can understand their not consciously trying to keep up with the continuity of a title outside of their office, but it seems like they've gone out of their way NOT to acknowledge Robin's involvement in that title at all over the course of the last two years. Why is that?

Is this what Robin is referring to in New Teen Titans #26, when he tells Starfire that he thought he was in love with someone else?

[shaxper]

Is this what Robin is referring to in New Teen Titans #26, when he tells Starfire that he thought he was in love with someone else?

It's possible. This storyline was published concurrently with NTT #21, 22, and 23.

[Captain Jim]

I have yet to read a David V. Reed Batman story that impressed me. His stuff is serviceable and not positively bad, but not exciting at all.

I completely agree.

[shaxper]

Batman 350

"Nightmare in Crimson"
writer: Gerry Conway and Paul Levitz
art: Gene Colan and Tony Dezuniga

Grade: B+


Our story continues with more incredible art and tone, but not all that much actually happens. The plot in one long sentence: Robin recovers, starts acting strangely, invites Bruce to a party at Dala's place, and leads Batman into a trap in which a vampire bites him. Vampires: 2. Batman and Robin: 0.

There's also a continuation of the Vicki Vale B plot as her publisher (heavily indebted to Rupert Thorne) sneaks into Vicki's files to discover who Batman really is. I'm assuming the file was a dummy.

Not much of an issue in and of itself, but the premise and art are just too good. This time around, the story continues into Detective Comics and, for once, I'll follow it there. This is shaping up to be at least a 4 part story!


"Those Lips, Those Eyes"
writer" Bruce Jones
Art: Tony DeZuniga

Grade: C

Selina wakes up in a shady hotel room with absolutely no memory of what happened the night before and something sticky on her skirt.

Put away those nasty thoughts, I tell myself. It isn't that kind of a comic.

Then Selina discovers a dead body in the room that looks just like her, follows some leads, ends up posing as a dancer at a strip club, and is just about to take it all off ("Guess I don't have much choice at this point") when she sees a suspicious man she's been tailing and leaps into action.

I guess it really is that kind of a comic.

Seriously, this one made me all sorts of uncomfortable, but it's unfortunately to be continued.

[shaxper]

Detective Comics 517

"The Monster in the Mirror"
writer: Gerry Conway and Paul Levitz
art: Gene Colan and Tony Zuniga

Grade: A+

Bruce returns to the mansion to discover he's become a distraught and bloodthirsty vampire. This transformation is clearly quite different from Dick's (who appears calm and normal, but is clearly under Dala's spell). After savagely beating Alfred and then apologizing, Bruce locks himself in the cave.

Alfred then receives a visit from the priest who helped Robin. Alfred does his best to maintain Bruce's secret identity all while the priest insists that Batman is here and infected. It turns out that the priest is an expert on vampires and has been hunting Dala and her brother, "The Monk," for many years. He provides their origin story, and it's quite a gripping one, largely thanks to Colan's breathtaking art.

The story concludes with Batman taking on a small time burglar and apparently biting and killing him.. He skulks off, only to cry as he greets the dawn (apparently, these vampires don't fear the sun). Meanwhile, Dick lures Vicki Vale into a car with the promise that Bruce asked him to give her a ride.

In terms of B plots, we also see Gordan and Jason Bard begin to track the corrupt powers behind Mayor Hill, and we see Rupert Thorne learn (from Vicki Vale's notes) that Bruce Wayne is Batman. Alfred has called upon the Human Target to pose as Bruce in order to dispel Vicki's suspicions, but even he doesn't know that Thorne is involved.

All in all, this was a very complex and satisfying story -- definitely my favorite chapter in this story arc thus far.


"A Tale of Two Serpents!"
writer: Cary Burkett
art: Jose Delbo and Joe Giella

Grade: D

This is my first time reading a Detective Comic from this era, and I'm a huge fan of Batgirl, so it made sense to explore this backup feature starring her.

I'm really sorry I did so.

In this issue, Barbara is dealing with an issue directly parallel to Bruce's. She's been bitten by "Lady Viper" which has turned her into a shape-shifting Viper, complete with fangs and impulses to kill that she can't control, herself. We saw Bruce get broken by this same transformation and even get reduced to tears, but Batgirl handles it so much worse, whining incessantly and depending upon kind strangers to calm her down and work it all out for her. This is not the Barbara Gordan I know!

The culmination of the plot line is similarly insulting, makes little sense, and wraps up entirely too suddenly at the end.

The one nice touch is the return of Shamrock, the homeless informant back from Len Wein's run on Batman prior to Paul Levitz taking over as editor. Shamrock is aided by other homeless people, but they are not the same ensemble cast from Wein's issues. Even still, it was great to see Shamrock one more time!

[Captain Jim]

Detective Comics 517

"The Monster in the Mirror"
writer: Gerry Conway and Paul Levitz
art: Gene Colan and Tony Zuniga

Grade: A+

See, didn't I tell you to read the Detective issues?

[shaxper]

See, didn't I tell you to read the Detective issues?

Well I'm certainly going to give it more thought now :)

I pulled out the full stack of corresponding Detective issues and now plan to skim each one before deciding whether it's worth the read. The thing is, Conway is still so darn hit or miss. This Monk storyline is pure gold, but I've been through so many issues that I was just getting through to get through. I don't need any more of those.

[shaxper]

Batman 351

"What Stalks the Gotham Night?"
writer: Gerry Conway
art: Gene Colan and Tony DeZuniga

Grade: B-

Eh. There was a lot more intensity and excitement in this issue (vampire Bruce decking vampire Dick as hard as possible was insane!), but then it just sort of fizzled. The priest had a convenient and very easy cure for vampirism that just required Bruce finding the Monk and getting his blood. So relatively clear-thinking Bruce (they NEVER explain why he's still more or less himself while Robin is a minion of Dala) just has to take him down the same as he would any other bad guy in any other third act of any other story. Granted, it WAS gratifying to watch him sock Dala.

So they get the blood, and then the story just drops off. I guess that was the conclusion to this epic four part story...?


"Gentlement Defer Blondes"
writer: Bruce Jones
art: Adrian Gonzales

Grade: D

And, no, the title was not the worst part of this story. Catwoman's mystery involving a dead stripper continues this issue, though the solution to the murder mystery is thoroughly confusing without being even remotely clever and, in the end, isn't really worth trying to follow.

Even worse, the great characterization that Selina had in the previous two parter is completely absent here. Instead, she delivers terrible lines like "This is definitely a job for -- THE CATWOMAN." My absolute favorite bad line from this issue goes as follows:

Bad guy (while watching a horse race): "C'mon, Golden Girl! You can do it!"
Catwoman: "YOU'RE the one who shouldn't have done it, Roscoe!"

Ouch.