Sasha makes the scene

[kingrockwell]

So, sailorlibra requested some Sasha Bordeaux a while back, and I've finally gotten off of my lazy ass to do something about it. The way I see it, I've got about four posts worth of material from Rucka's first run on Detective Comics without derailing any future posts I have planned, which will have the added benefit of serving as a springboard for a future series of posts from Checkmate, as requested by ghosty732.

But enough of that, to the comics! And as I figure, there's no better place to begin then, well, the beginning. So, we're looking at seven pages from 'Tec #751, and a little bit from #752.

A bit of background context, during these two issues, the GCPD are trying to resolve the whole Ivy-in-Robinson-Park thing left over from NML. We're worrying about more important things here, though, so let's cut to Wayne Enterprises.

(as an aside, i just want to say that even though Shawn Martinbrough's art can be iffy at times, the two-tone colors 'Tec had between NML and BW: Murderer made a really lovely comic)





Another thing worth discussing is post-NML Bruce Wayne, who is obviously a big part of this story. He's a bit oafish, maybe more than usual, but a lot of times, especially when you're around him as often as Sasha will be, that comes off as being as much an act as it really is, especially with the business-savvy he displays at times. Also, I can't see how anyone can think he's being so insufferable on accident (which endears him to me a lot, actually).






Obviously, he didn't go to the washroom, and you can read more about what happens when he goes to help the situation in Robinson Park over is this post. Now, because of that post, I don't have too many pages left from 752, but I can make it just under the wire with one and a third.

Realizing Bruce had ditched her, Sasha looks for him around the building. The security guards aren't much help.


But having no luck at Wayne Enterprises, she finds her way to the manor, where we pick up the next morning.

(bat-shadow!)

And so begin a beautif-- uh, destru-- hmm, confli-- well, some kind of relationship.

Next time, Jim Gordon's retirement party! Featuring Sasha getting suspicious, my favorite Two-Face seen ever, and me pulling my hair out trying to cut it all down to page limits!

also, i think this is my first full post since the move
(Animal Man wasn't full, and Scans De Yada doesn't count since there weren't enough comics; By the way, if you're planning to contribute, I'm still waiting on a number of submissions!)

Comments

[sistermagpie]

Nothing like some good bat shadow work in Batman comics!

[thatnickguy]

God, I loved Rucka's run on Detective Comics so much. If only it wasn't muddled down with accursed crossovers. (See also: Woman, Wonder).

[cleome45]

I'm not even a Bat-fan, but I'm loving the way this is laid out.

[kingrockwell]

Art or plot? If art, isn't that coloring great? If plot, yeah, Rucka's just cool like that.

[cleome45]

Yes. And yes. :D

Don't worry. By tomorrow I'll be back to whining and kvetching about everything like a good little fan. :p

[shanejayell]

*lol*

Poor woman. ^__^

[jelly_ace]

But you get lost in your own building!

Heh. Ditz!Bruce is funny.

Not loving the art, though. It's kinda inconsistent.

[kingrockwell]

Yeah, the art itself is iffy (i'm always more inclined toward Rick Burchett's fills, even when he seems to forget that he isn't drawing Batman Adventures), but the coloring really makes it.

[jelly_ace]

Burchett did the one as the intro to Bruce Wayne: Murderer, right? I bought the 10-cent version. And yep, shades of Batman Adventures there.

And yeah, come to think of it, the coloring's nice. I always liked toned-down colors--shiny coloring is just so blech to me.

[kingrockwell]

He did! He drew a number of DCAU titles, Batman Adventures most notably, but he also did a number of DCU titles, the 10-cent Adventure among them, but also notable is Huntress: Cry for Blood, one of his best works (check my icon for an example!), and no less than three chapters of Officer Down. The workload on that is most evident, comparing the great work on the first chapter, Batman #587, to what he did on the last.

It's mostly that last one, Gotham Knights #13, and a later follow-up in 'Tec #762 (he did a number of fill-ins during Rucka's run, they really work well together) that make me joke he might've forgotten he wasn't doing DCAU, since his Harvey Bullock in both issues looks almost straight outta the cartoon.

[jelly_ace]

Goes to show, the DCAU does leave an impression on people.

[wealhtheow]

Wow, I actually appreciate every part of this--the art, the writing, the introduced character, the Bruce Wayne characterization. I'm amazed--I never like them all at once!

[perletwo]

Wait, am I to understand that Bruce can cook, but Batman can't...? *narrows eyes suspiciously*

[kingrockwell]

Nah, he just doesn't have to fake it when he burns the coffee!

[mad]

...that is kind of hilarious and awesome.

[perletwo]

Have we ever seen them in the same kitchen at the same time?

[mad]

No, I don't think we have.... *narrows eyes*

BEETS. MY GOD.

[psychopathicus_rex]

Probably what happens is he praises his own cooking to the skies, but secretly takes pains NOT to acquire good cooking skills, so he'll always make a hideous mess whenever he tries to cook for people, which will bolster his Bertie Wooster image. That omelet will probably taste like a doormat.

[perletwo]

Waal, he did say it'd be a mean omelet, after all. :D

[psychopathicus_rex]

Yes, but the way I'm picturing that, it would mean a 'too cool for school' omelet, a 'make you feel inferior' omelet, an 'I'm too sexy for this plate' omelet, an omelet so jaw-droppingly well-made and sophisticated that you're afraid to eat it. If that omelet had a mouth, it would sneer. The omelet I'm picturing is more like something that would have dropped off the bottom of one of Heracles' sandals following his initial inspection of the Augean stables.

[mad]

I love the colouring on these. Looking forward to the next post.

IIRC, the retirement has one of my favourite Jim Gordon moments. I can't remember it exactly, but there's an exchange between Jim and Sasha, and he gives her a look and it's implied that he knows Batman is Bruce Wayne and he's wondering whether or not she's figured it out. Something like that.

[kingrockwell]

Yes! There are just too many great things going on in #755, from Bruce's tie incident, to him cavorting, to Babs cavorting, to Sasha being suspicious, to Bruce and Stacy cavorting, and then Two-Face comes in and breaks everyone's heart.

I have no idea how I'll cut all that down to seven pages and a third, but I'll try.

[sailorlibra]

Man, Sasha, you're have better taste in clothes than I remembered.

And, OP, thanks for granting the request. I know how difficult it can be to keep within the page limits.

[kingrockwell]

I was lucky this time, especially since the poster who did that Ivy write-up appeared to make a mistake and threw in a page from Batman #651 instead of one more from 'Tec #752.

The problem with #755 is that it's a really good issue, and therefore has more things I wish I could keep in, but I'll figure it out.

[magnetic_regina]

Bruce Wayne gets lost in his own building and locks himself in the toilet by accident?

♥

That's adorable! I want one!

[stillawkward]

Oh foppish Bruce Wayne, how I love you. I can't help but read these pages in Kevin Conroy's Bruce Wayne voice.

[icon_uk]

I dunno, there was a good story to be told featuring Bruce Wayne's bodyguard, but sadly almost nothing about Sasha Boudreaux was it IMHO.

[kingrockwell]

What would you have had in mind, out of curiousity?

[icon_uk]

A story arc which didn't involve her becoming a costumed vigilante for a start. :)

[kingrockwell]

True.

[kingrockwell]

Thinking on it further, it could have made a great story without those elements, but the one we got instead wasn't too shabby, either.

Thanks

[coolghoul]

Thanks....

It sounds like a lot of fun. I really loved Lucius blackmailing Bruce. While I adore the artwork from the 70s, the artwork reminds me somewhat of the DCAU artwork which I've come to adore. It's the coloring, I think.

I hadn't read this thing but had come across Sasha in the Brother Eye related material leading to the Crisis so never knew who she was...

This sounds like great fun.