Batman Inc. #13 (Spoilers)

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Batman Inc. #13 (Spoilers)

Post by JME2 »

Ding Dong Grant Is Gone!

So it's finally over. The Mad Scotsman's finally finished with the Bat after 7 years.

While there have been parts I liked, I can't say this is going to go down as one of my favorite Batman runs. I'm just tired of Morrison's writing style, his interpretation of Pointy Ears, and his meta-commentary. I especially don't like how he ruined Talia -- though I grant that destruction began with Rucka and Death and the Maidens. For me at least, Talia works better when morally gray.

That having been said, I don't think I disagree with the commentary he's delivered here. Like Leviathan's Ouroboros, Bats is trapped in an endless loop. Robins come and go, but Bruce will also survive. By nature of being a corporate-owned super-hero in a serialized medium, he can never truly triumph over any of his foes or grow. There's no end to his story, yet it always paradoxically comes full circle for each new run-- like the Ouroboros.

This is one reason why I've been tiring of the DCU for a while and have been leaning more towards stuff like Vertigo. It's also why I've stopped following characters and instead focused on authors whose takes I like.

Anyway, it'd be interesting to compare this finale to the early issues of his run. I think Morrison honestly 7 years ago thought he could shift and alter the paradigm and iconography and gradually realized that corporate demands make that impossible.
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Re: Batman Inc. #13 (Spoilers)

Post by Grumman »

I was going to ask how they ruined Talia, but after seeing the scans I don't need to. Ew.

(Although my first thought was "Why is Batman dressed like Judge Dredd?")
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Re: Batman Inc. #13 (Spoilers)

Post by Havok »

That... made no sense.
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Re: Batman Inc. #13 (Spoilers)

Post by JME2 »

Kathy Kane was set up in the last volume of Inc., but it really only appeals to 1970's Batman fans.

I can't help wondering if it might have made more sense is Morrison had been allowed to finish his story within the pre-New 52 continuity instead of having to accommodate the changes.

It's kinda like how part of me wishes Johns has been allowed to wrap up his GL run before having to move it into the reboot continuity.
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Re: Batman Inc. #13 (Spoilers)

Post by Thanas »

The hell is this crap?

I mean, the artwork, the dialogue....sounds like any crap comic. Totally indistinguishable from any other comic.
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Re: Batman Inc. #13 (Spoilers)

Post by Grumman »

I think I'd like that part about matching wits with mental patients better if it was part of a different plot. Maybe if she'd been, I don't know, staging an intervention by killing all his rogues currently in Arkham Asylum, a bitter line about how he's holding himself back by treating them like equals would fit well.
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Re: Batman Inc. #13 (Spoilers)

Post by JME2 »

Thanas wrote:The hell is this crap?

I mean, the artwork, the dialogue....sounds like any crap comic. Totally indistinguishable from any other comic.
Chris Burnham's been trying to channel Frank Quitely, but I miss the pencils of Andy Kubert, JH Williams, or even Tony Daniel.

I've also been wondering if Morrison's run -- or at least the second half, the Batman Inc.-era -- was deliberately written as a satire of the character and DC's corporate practices.
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Re: Batman Inc. #13 (Spoilers)

Post by Imperial Overlord »

People bought this shit? Really?
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Re: Batman Inc. #13 (Spoilers)

Post by JME2 »

Imperial Overlord wrote:People bought this shit? Really?
I didn't. :)

But evidently enough people have for Morrison to churn out 50+ issues over the last 7 years.
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Re: Batman Inc. #13 (Spoilers)

Post by Atlan »

Fuck that was bad. I already knew Grant wasn't called the Mad Scotsman for nothing, but damn, that coupled with that artwork? Seriously? One of your flagship titles, and that's the artwork inside of it?
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Re: Batman Inc. #13 (Spoilers)

Post by Batman »

Anyone who thinks Talia of all people is going to stay dead please raise a hand.
I see I have, once again, forgotten about the usefulness of proper pockets on the utility belt. And who's Batdredd?
Also, Kathy Kane. 'I' had to look her up when she made her reappearance in the DCU and live there. Other than 'The Silver Age was so much better than modern comics, let's bring it all back' was there any point to that?
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'You're a princess from a society of immortal warriors. I'm a rich kid with issues. Lots of issues.'
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'You know, for a guy with like 50 different kinds of vision, you sure are blind.'
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Re: Batman Inc. #13 (Spoilers)

Post by Spekio »

Batman wrote:Anyone who thinks Talia of all people is going to stay dead please raise a hand.
I see I have, once again, forgotten about the usefulness of proper pockets on the utility belt. And who's Batdredd?
Also, Kathy Kane. 'I' had to look her up when she made her reappearance in the DCU and live there. Other than 'The Silver Age was so much better than modern comics, let's bring it all back' was there any point to that?

I assumed she was Batwoman...

Also, Bat, what's up with the cow?
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Re: Batman Inc. #13 (Spoilers)

Post by Batman »

There's no cow in any of those pictures?
And yes, she's Batwoman. She also didn't exist in modern Batman mythology until The Powers That Are Apparently Stark Raving Mad Be decided to bring her back because, obviously, everything Silver Age is so much better.
'Next time I let Superman take charge, just hit me. Real hard.'
'You're a princess from a society of immortal warriors. I'm a rich kid with issues. Lots of issues.'
'No. No dating for the Batman. It might cut into your brooding time.'
'Tactically we have multiple objectives. So we need to split into teams.'-'Dibs on the Amazon!'
'Hey, we both have a Martian's phone number on our speed dial. I think I deserve the benefit of the doubt.'
'You know, for a guy with like 50 different kinds of vision, you sure are blind.'
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Re: Batman Inc. #13 (Spoilers)

Post by Spekio »

Batman wrote:There's no cow in any of those pictures?
http://abload.de/img/batmanincorporated201s3y2o.jpg

There is on the last panel of this one.
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Re: Batman Inc. #13 (Spoilers)

Post by Batman »

Technically, that could be an oxen as I don't see any udders but I'll happily admit I oversaw that one.
'Next time I let Superman take charge, just hit me. Real hard.'
'You're a princess from a society of immortal warriors. I'm a rich kid with issues. Lots of issues.'
'No. No dating for the Batman. It might cut into your brooding time.'
'Tactically we have multiple objectives. So we need to split into teams.'-'Dibs on the Amazon!'
'Hey, we both have a Martian's phone number on our speed dial. I think I deserve the benefit of the doubt.'
'You know, for a guy with like 50 different kinds of vision, you sure are blind.'
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Re: Batman Inc. #13 (Spoilers)

Post by Vendetta »

Imperial Overlord wrote:People bought this shit? Really?
Comics publishing has long relied on the fact that people will buy any old shit if you put the right brand on it.
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Re: Batman Inc. #13 (Spoilers)

Post by Eframepilot »

Batman wrote:There's no cow in any of those pictures?
And yes, she's Batwoman. She also didn't exist in modern Batman mythology until The Powers That Are Apparently Stark Raving Mad Be decided to bring her back because, obviously, everything Silver Age is so much better.
They also brought her back so that they could write her as a lesbian.
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Re: Batman Inc. #13 (Spoilers)

Post by Imperial Overlord »

Eframepilot wrote:
Batman wrote:There's no cow in any of those pictures?
And yes, she's Batwoman. She also didn't exist in modern Batman mythology until The Powers That Are Apparently Stark Raving Mad Be decided to bring her back because, obviously, everything Silver Age is so much better.
They also brought her back so that they could write her as a lesbian.
They at least got Greg Rucka to write her, who is one of the handful of writers in the comic world who is actually good at writing women, and an artist who can actually produce art. You can do something worthwhile with that, as opposed to this garbage writing and garbage art.
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Re: Batman Inc. #13 (Spoilers)

Post by Grumman »

Eframepilot wrote:
Batman wrote:And yes, she's Batwoman. She also didn't exist in modern Batman mythology until The Powers That Are Apparently Stark Raving Mad Be decided to bring her back because, obviously, everything Silver Age is so much better.
They also brought her back so that they could write her as a lesbian.
That's a different one. A better one, from what I've seen of both.
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Re: Batman Inc. #13 (Spoilers)

Post by JME2 »

Batman: 'BatDredd' is Jason Todd; he was posing as the new Wingman earlier in Inc. (after the original was killed pre-Batman RIP). Of course, Jason's still operating as the Red Hood, so it's a continuity mess as usual.

Spekio: I believe the Cow was rescued during a raid on a Leviathan base at the beginning of the current volume and that Damian wanted to keep it as a pet.
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Re: Batman Inc. #13 (Spoilers)

Post by JME2 »

Also, neither Talia or Damian are going to stay dead too long.

From what I've read, Ra's grabs both of their bodies at the end of the issue and begins work on cloning an army of Damians.

So, somebody will undoubtedly follow up on this. I also fully expect someone to dig the still living Dr. Hurt out of the grave the Joker dumped him in somewhere down the road.
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Re: Batman Inc. #13 (Spoilers)

Post by Batman »

You know much as I love Talia, if I could get rid of Damian for keeps losing her for keeps too would be a price worth paying. I'd still have Selina for the 'conflicted on and off love interest' angle, afterall.
'Next time I let Superman take charge, just hit me. Real hard.'
'You're a princess from a society of immortal warriors. I'm a rich kid with issues. Lots of issues.'
'No. No dating for the Batman. It might cut into your brooding time.'
'Tactically we have multiple objectives. So we need to split into teams.'-'Dibs on the Amazon!'
'Hey, we both have a Martian's phone number on our speed dial. I think I deserve the benefit of the doubt.'
'You know, for a guy with like 50 different kinds of vision, you sure are blind.'
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Re: Batman Inc. #13 (Spoilers)

Post by Spekio »

JME2 wrote: Spekio: I believe the Cow was rescued during a raid on a Leviathan base at the beginning of the current volume and that Damian wanted to keep it as a pet.
I don't know what to say to that. Hey, let's put a cow into the batcave! We have no spare room on the mansion grounds.
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Re: Batman Inc. #13 (Spoilers)

Post by Batman »

I'm reasonably certain if there were a cow in the Batcave, I would have noticed, if only because of Alfred complaining (the bats are essentially self sufficient. The cow is sort of out of its ordinary environment and needs for somebody too feed it and deal with the results of it having been fed).
'Next time I let Superman take charge, just hit me. Real hard.'
'You're a princess from a society of immortal warriors. I'm a rich kid with issues. Lots of issues.'
'No. No dating for the Batman. It might cut into your brooding time.'
'Tactically we have multiple objectives. So we need to split into teams.'-'Dibs on the Amazon!'
'Hey, we both have a Martian's phone number on our speed dial. I think I deserve the benefit of the doubt.'
'You know, for a guy with like 50 different kinds of vision, you sure are blind.'
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Re: Batman Inc. #13 (Spoilers)

Post by JME2 »

Batman wrote:You know much as I love Talia, if I could get rid of Damian for keeps losing her for keeps too would be a price worth paying. I'd still have Selina for the 'conflicted on and off love interest' angle, afterall.
Yeah.

Again, the decline of Talia really started with Rucka and Death and the Maidens -- and incidentally, part of me still wishes this had been the last Ra's story as Rucka intended. It still annoys me that DC brought him back after only 3 years -- and keep in mind, Ra's is my favorite Bat villain after Two-Face.
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