Brighter Days Ahead for Batman?

[nightwing]

Well the jury's still out on whether the post-IC era will be lighter or darker (it doesn't look promising!) but an interview with editor Peter Tomasi actually provides a light at the end of the tunnel for...of all characters...Batman!

For an old Batfan like me, who hasn't bought a Bat-title in over 10 years out of disgust for what he's become, a quote like this is music to my ears:


Quoth Tomasi:

Bruce/Batman to me, is not driven by the death of his parents anymore. Yes, it was the catalyst and a driving force at first, and yes, seeing his parents murdered before his young eyes is something that will stay with him forever, but I don't feel he's haunted by it anymore. What Bruce does now is honor their memory each and every night by going out into Gotham as its protector and in a strange way its advocate. Because what he does each and every night is saying something to the people of the city: This city will never fall prey to the evildoers. It may be banged up and kicked around sometimes, but it's always gonna get back up and keep fighting, keep living, because as trite as it may sound, to keep on keeping on is what it's all about. Evil and darkness will not win. Good will triumph as long as you don't turn your head - or as that old saying goes (I'm paraphrasing): all that takes for evil to win is for a good man to say/or do nothing.

And Gotham, to me, is not a cesspool of a city where darkness reigns. If that is the case, Batman lost the war a long time ago and should've hung up the cape and cowl. On the contrary, Gotham is a living, breathing city with all its foibles. It may have crime, but it also has heart and it has opportunity. If it doesn't, not only would Batman have lost the war, but it would be a city of shadows and shadows alone. People would've left a long time ago if all that awaits them each and every morning is the possibility of death and darkness. Batman's losing some battles now and again, but it's the big picture he keeps in mind …keeps in focus. The war is winnable and he's putting his heart and soul on the line 24/7.

Could this mean the end of the "Dark Knight" approach to Batman?

Can it be that for the first time since Steve Englehart worked on "Detective," someone finally remembers the real Batman?

Is it possible I will actually buy a Batman comic in 2006!!??

Tune it tomorrow, same bat-time, same bat-channel!

[Great Rao]

Is it possible I will actually buy a Batman comic in 2006!!??

Tune it tomorrow, same bat-time, same bat-channel!

If it's any good, let us know.

[JulianPerez]

Urge to say...I told you so...overwhelming...must fight...to...hold...tongue...

 

This is what happens when you get, not just talented people, but people that understand who the characters ARE. I have every faith in a post-INFINITE CRISIS DC Universe, for no other reason than the miniseries that is laying the groundwork, IC proper, is just so great in and of itself.

Judging by the above comment, that guy knows who Batman is as well.

As embarassing as an old Englehart fan like me is to say it, I have not bought Englehart's recent Bat-miniseries. If ANYBODY could save Batman though, it'd be Stainless Steve.

And, we've got Kurt Busiek and Geoff Johns BOTH writing Superman. I mean, as Gambit was fond of saying, "life don't get much bedder dan 'dis."

[Gangbuster]

See, I'm still going to buy only All-Star Superman until you tell me it's safe to come outside.  

I have a friend who is really into comics. He recommended a bunch of things for me to read, and I ended up with stuff like Watchmen, Crisis, and The Dark Knight Returns. Needless to say, I wasn't very happy...but I got him to buy "Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?" for me from his comic shop, and then I forgave him.

So I do not trust the new things in the comic shop (see my comic shop thread.) I'm content to keep buying back issues of old Superboy comics...I still haven't read all of my Marvel Star Wars.

[JulianPerez]

See, I'm still going to buy only All-Star Superman until you tell me it's safe to come outside.  

Never have I more wanted to say I told you so than here - if I turn out to be right and comics are DC books are exiting this dismal period, nobody will be happier than yours truly.

I can't BELIEVE I say I like a Grant Morrison comic. Naturally, I'm an effervescent individual, but the praise the Morrison fanboys throw on anything he does is so unbelieveable never has the urge been greater to SHOUT that something stinks. Yet...I can't.

On the CBR forums, there was a thread about this book, and the thread for the book was so gushing that it borders on the homoerotic. I *SWEAR,* the Morrison fans are self-parodies. There was this one guy that used his actual photograph in the picture. He had hipster Weezer glasses and a poster of an underground comic behind him. It was like a stereotype in human form had risen to torment me.

I have a friend who is really into comics. He recommended a bunch of things for me to read, and I ended up with stuff like Watchmen, Crisis, and The Dark Knight Returns. Needless to say, I wasn't very happy...but I got him to buy "Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?" for me from his comic shop, and then I forgave him.

He actually...recommended DKR and CRISIS? Aw, man, you need to get cooler friends. Like me, for instance.

Try Englehart's AVENGERS. Especially the story where the Vision is menaced by "Human Bombs," the Celestial Madonna arc, and the Serpent Crown.

Or try Gardner Fox's JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA. They're now out on $10 SHOWCASE editions, so actually, you can't NOT afford to buy them!

Heck, isn't all of the Busiek/Perez AVENGERS out on TPB in some form?

So I do not trust the new things in the comic shop (see my comic shop thread.) I'm content to keep buying back issues of old Superboy comics...I still haven't read all of my Marvel Star Wars.

Good choice - Roy Thomas is still a star, just like back in the day.

Pay special attention to the issue, penned by Chris Claremont, which is set in the Clone Wars, which shows that Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker's Dad are clearly two different people. This puts humbug on Lucas's claim that it was he, not the brilliant Leigh Brackett that wrote the screenplay for EMPIRE STRIKES BACK, who created the idea that Darth Vader is Luke Skywalker's father.

Roy Thomas left STAR WARS because he claimed that he was sent a phonebook thick "suggestion" guide that was filled with what to show and what not to show. And in those hundreds of pages, NOT ONE was "don't show Luke Skywalker's father?"

George Lucas is the John Byrne of directors.

[TELLE]

He had hipster Weezer glasses and a poster of an underground comic behind him. It was like a stereotype in human form had risen to torment me.

I don't know how that guy got my picture, but I wish he would temper his Morrison enthusiasm a bit.  The guy's okay, but he's no Stewart Home.

[nightwing]

Pay special attention to the issue, penned by Chris Claremont, which is set in the Clone Wars, which shows that Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker's Dad are clearly two different people. This puts humbug on Lucas's claim that it was he, not the brilliant Leigh Brackett that wrote the screenplay for EMPIRE STRIKES BACK, who created the idea that Darth Vader is Luke Skywalker's father.

I don't care what anyone says, making Vader Luke's father was the single dumbest plot twist in modern cinema.  Not only was the pay-off not worth it, but it ruined what, in the first film, had been the greatest movie villain since Goldfinger...or maybe King Kong. In 1977, Vader could give you chill bumps and have you yelling "Boo, Hiss" with glee.  Now you look at the same film and think, "Poor, lost Annakin."  BLLEHHH!

And without that little brainstorm we also wouldn't have had the execrable episodes I-III.  God save us from prequels.

[TELLE]

I don't care what anyone says, making Vader Luke's father was the single dumbest plot twist in modern cinema.

Especially because it makes Leia kissing Luke look incestuous and Luke falling for her less of a tragedy.

Do Jedis get married?