Batman minis

Batman: Room Full of Strangers 1

Scott Morse tells us what Jim Gordon did while he was recuperating from Officer Down.  Turns out he went to a small hotel by the ocean and gets caught up (as one always does) in a murder mystery.  It’s not really much of a mystery, the murderer is always clear.  The snag is a kid who thinks he’s Batman’s son and masquerades as his favorite hero.  Usually, I hate these kinds of kids (in stories) and wish that they would die (in the stories, not IRL).  But here, Morse actually kills the kid for being stupid, and I found it way more moving than I would have expected.  Insert something about wish fulfillment here.

Regret buying: No

Would buy again: No

Would read again: Yes

Rating: Nice

Batman: Streets of Gotham 1

I tried this back when I didn’t know Paul Dini was best at writing animated comics Batman and not ‘regular’ comics.  (‘Regular’ is so not the right word, animated comics are just as regular, but you know what I mean.)  The art by Dustin Nguyen is really good, but the intro w/ Harley Quinn and the A plot of Firefly setting people on fire was not enough to hook me back then or now.  Cutting.

Regret buying: No

Would buy again: No

Would read again: No

Rating: Didn’t suck

Batman: Turning Points 1-3, 5

A neat series that details key points in Batman and Jim Gordon’s relationship over the past 60 years (as of the series’ writing).  Issue 1 is set in Year One, and told in the same style.  Steve Lieber does a nice David Mazzucchelli homage, and Greg Rucka mimics Frank Miller’s narration quite well.  Issue 2 handles Robin’s introduction to Gotham and Issue 3 deals with the aftermath of Jason Todd’s death and Barbara Gordon’s shooting.  Those issues by Ed Brubaker are a lot more heavy handed in their speechifying and “moral of the story.”  Past me skipped issue 4 because he didn’t care at all about Gordon’s relationship with AzBats (still don’t).  

Issue 5 is set in the GCPD era and brings things full circle with issue 1.  (Rucka again.)  Rucka does a wonderful job of accentuating the friendship between Batman and Gordon.  These two have been through everything together, and their rapport and affection for each other feels earned and satisfying.  The full weight of those 60 years together is like a warm blanket.  

Given that I already don’t have issue 4, cutting 2 and 3 isn’t really a hardship.  

Regret buying: No

Would buy again: No

Would read again: Yes (No for 2, 3)

Rating: Pretty good.  Fine for 2, 3

Batman/Superman 1-2

I HATE the Batman Who Laughs.  If nothing else, I hate that everyone feels the need to say his name in full every time it’s mentioned.  It’s so freaking awkward and unnecessary.  Hate hate hate.  David Marquez’s art is truly beautiful, but even that isn’t enough for me to cut these issues.  Begone, and never return.

Regret buying: No

Would buy again: No

Would read again: No

Rating: Hated