Return of Bruce Wayne

Posted by David Torres Categories: Editorials, DC Comics,

It was announced a few days ago that Bruce Wayne would finally be coming back as Batman beginning in April 2010. The event will take place in a min-series entitled Batman: The Return of Bruce Wayne and it will be written by Grant Morrison. I’m very happy that Bruce Wayne will be returning, but I’m curious as to why both he and Captain America are through the exact chain of events in their lives right now. Both characters saw their side kicks resurrected (Jason Todd and Buck); both were “killed off”; both characters saw side kicks take over the mantle for them (Dick Grayson and Bucky); both are stuck in the past; and both are now trying to make their ways back to the present. What gives? Who’s copying who?

Well the idea of resurrecting Jason Todd began during the Hush storyline in 2002, but we didn’t see Jason return until 2005. The return of Bucky began around the same time in 2005 as well. Steve was killed in early 2007 and Bruce was killed in late 2008. It was revealed a few months ago that Steve was stuck in time, but Bruce was revealed to be stuck in the past at the end of Final Crisis at the beginning of the year. Since we are fans, we are not privy to which company came up with which idea first, but if it were me, I would try to do something a bit different with my company’s character. Also, what good is it for the fans? They will buy it nonetheless, but is it really that interesting to have the same exact thing happen to two iconic characters? What happens when they return?

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DC Comics Review: Batman and Robin #6

Posted by David Torres Categories: Reviews, DC Comics,

Rating: ****

Another amazing issue that will have everyone’s jaw drop by the time people reach the end. Sometimes the conclusion to a comic book story does not live up to the way it started - that is not the case here. Grant Morrison hits a big home run with the conclusion to his Red Hood story arc. The only drawback for me once again is Philip Tan’s artwork. Some of the artwork in the panels seemed rushed and murky, but Morrison saves the day for me with this amazing story. I read the preview that was released and I couldn’t wait to read this issue. After reading this issue, I’m now salivating for more.

Eduardo Flamingo proves to be a very dangerous character. When we last left off in the story, Flamingo had taken a shot at the Red Hood. The shot doesn’t kill him, which causes Flamingo to try harder to finish the job by shooting the side of Jason’s face off. He also tries to pull the mask off of Scarlet’s face (if you’ve been reading the title you know her face is attached to the mask).

Batman and Robin escape from the trap that the Red Hood put them in and they try to assist Hood and Scarlet in taking down Flamingo. Morrison writes a great line for Robin when they confront Flamingo, “I was expecting scary, not gay.” Very funny. The character appears to die at the hands of the Red Hood, but this is the comic book world, and we know that he probably isn’t dead.

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DC Comics Review: Batman: Battle for the Cowl #3

Posted by David Torres Categories: Reviews, DC Comics,

Rating: ***

The conclusion to “Batman: Battle for the Cowl” is here. I enjoyed the two previous issues of “Battle for the Cowl” immensely, but for some reason this issue left me wanting more. I’m not sure what else I wanted or expected from this issue, but the issue was a bit of let down. This is of course the storyline which names the new man to take over the role of Batman. For months now we have all assumed that the man who takes over is Dick Grayson aka Nightwing the first Robin and that the new Robin will be Damian Wayne Bruce Wayne’s illegitimate son. At the end of the issue, everything seems to be revealed as far as who’s the new dynamic duo. Who are they and what did we see in this issue? Lets find out!

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DC Comics Review: Batman: Battle for the Cowl #2

Posted by David Torres Categories: Reviews, DC Comics,

Rating: *** 1/2*

This was another great issue of the “Battle for the Cowl” (BFTC) mini-series.  As readers know, Tony Daniel provides the artwork as well as the story for this mini-series and he continues to do a great job.  The story so far has not only lived up to the hype, but in my opinion it has surpassed what I thought we’d get here.  As I mentioned in my previous blog about the first issue, I thought giving Daniel the task of writing this story was going to be a mistake.  Most of the time big events tend to let me down, and I really get excited when they don’t let me down. 

This series is a must read for Batman fans.  Although Bruce Wayne does not appear in this story, he is here spirit.  The foundation of what Bruce believed in and what he stood for is the center of the story.  Who will continue his mission? 

The story hasn’t had any real surprises so far.  Its been pretty straight forward in the direction it’s heading with Nightwing becoming Batman and Damian becoming Robin.  It’s almost too much like getting hit over the head and saying that this is exactly what will happen.  However, you never know, there could be a turn coming and maybe Tim Drake becomes Batman.  Who knows.

The story picks up where we left off in the last issue with the gun totting Batman aka Jason Todd, attacking Nightwing and Damian. 

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DC Comics Review: Batman: Battle for the Cowl #1

Posted by David Torres Categories: Reviews, DC Comics,

Rating: *** 1/2*

When I first heard that artist Tony Daniel would be doing the writing chores for the DC mega miniseries “Batman: Battle for the Cowl,” I groaned. I groaned because I felt that a inexperienced writer like Daniel should not be given the task of writing this major miniseries. I already had it in my head that this series was going to be a let down - boy was I wrong. The first issue of “Batman: Battle for the Cowl” is an absolute winner. I know its cliche, but from the first page to the last, this issue delivered in a big way for me.

As any reader of my previous blogs on Batman, you know that I have not been happy with what Grant Morrison has been doing on “Batman” - particularly the recent “RIP” storyline. I felt the story was a big let down and by no means lived up to the hype DC was giving it. After reading this issue, I wish DC would give the job of writing “Batman” to Daniel, but unfortunately Morrison will be returning to the title after this series is over.

Since Batman’s “death” in “Final Crisis,” we have seen Gotham City slip deeper and deeper into chaos. This issue reveals that Nightwing has now become the leader of The Network which brings together all of the heroes who are allies of Batman or who have operated in Gotham in the past. Daniel also brings in Knight and Squire from Morrison’s Batmen of all Nations storyline. The reintroduction of the Batmen of all Nations is one of the few things that I’ve liked about Morrison’s run. I particularly like Knight and Squire and I would love to see a miniseries focusing on them set in the UK.

Daniel continues what Denny O’Neil started in his recent storyline of Nightwing refusing to take on the mantle of the Batman and being insecure about even thinking about doing so as he feels he’s not worthy to even step in his shoes. I’m assuming that’s something the editors of Batman want as a theme in the Bat-books right now. I’m not crazy with that direction as I feel Dick should be a hell of a lot more confident and sure of himself and want to take on the roll to honor his surrogate father.

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What’s next for Batman after Final Crisis?

Posted by David Torres Categories: Editorials, DC Comics,

Batman is dead.  In this week’s issue of “Final Crisis”, Batman died at the hands of Darkseid.  I always felt that if DC were to ever write this story, (I’m not including the death of Earth 2 Batman or any Elseworlds stories) Batman’s death would come at the hands of one of his rogues.  It would be an epic tale where the Joker or Ra’s would finally succeed in getting one over on Bruce in a moment of weakness. 

So now that he’s dead, where do we go from here?  Well we know DC will be putting “Detective Comics” and “Batman” on hiatus and in it’s place will be a three part miniseries entitled “Battle for the Cowl”.  We can assume from the title that there will be a fight of some sort to see who will take over as Batman.  The players are: Nightwing, Robin, Jason Todd, and Hush.

This is much different that what we saw during the “Knightfall” trilogy where the mantle was simply given to Jean Paul Valley aka Azrael.  Bruce’s relationship with Dick Grayson was estranged at the time and Tim Drake was too young, so for some reason it was deemed fitting that the character of Bruce Wayne would rationally relinquish the most important thing in his life to this guy he barely knew - but that’s ancient history now.

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The Evolution of Timothy Drake

Posted by David Torres Categories: Editorials, DC Comics,

I began collecting Batman comics shortly after the death of Jason Todd.  I was a Marvel Zombie back then, but after seeing the first Tim Burton Batman movie I decided to give Batman comics a second look.  The first issue I picked up was Batman #433 which was part one of the John Byrne storline the “Many Deaths of the Batman”.  Following that storyline the “Batman” comic featured the storyline “Batman: Year Three”.  This story gave an updated version of the year Dick Grayson’s parents were killed and his adoption by Bruce Wayne.  In this updated version, not only was Bruce Wayne in the audience at the circus when Dick’s parents fell to their deaths, but so was a young couple with their son Timothy Drake. 

After that came the storyline “A Lonely Place of Dying” which focused on a Batman enraged and out of control because of his anger and guilt over the death of the second Robin: Jason Todd.  In this story a young boy enters into the life of Batman and reveals to him that he knows he is Bruce Wayne.  The boy is the same boy from the circus: Timothy Drake.

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What’s In Store For Batman Post R.I.P.?

Posted by David Torres Categories:

Grant Morrison began writing Batman for DC Comics in 2006 with the story arc “Batman and Son”.  The story debuted Bruce Wayne’s son Damien whose mother is Talia al Ghul daughter of Ra’s al Ghul one of Batman’s deadliest villains.  I thought this story was okay, which is how I feel of most of Morrison’s run on Batman. 

We are now coming to the end of what Morrison has said he has been building up to with “Batman: R.I.P.”  Now with a title like that, one would believe that this will be the end of Batman, but Morrison has already said that Batman will not be dying at the end of this storyline.  What will happen is “so much better than death” Morrison was quoted saying.  The result will be a “fate worse than death.”  That statement has intrigued fans over the past few months and has had them wondering what will be the big revelation at the end of “Batman: R.I.P.” 

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