Batman: Earth One

[aeka]

DC released pages from the upcoming Batman: Earth One graphic novel which comes out this year, and aside from Alfred looking like a Ra's Al Ghul type guy, this actually looks pretty good. I may actually have to get this one! It's also good to know that DC is planning on using their multiverse for out of continuity stories (which at the moment, look like they might be better stories than most of the current New 52 line).

On that note, I tried reading Superman: Earth One (which has a sequel coming out this year as well I believe) a while back, but I just couldn't buy into the idea of Clark Kent being a dark and broody character. Sorry DC but the whole 'being Bruce Wayne' thing only works best on Bruce Wayne. In my opinion, Clark Kent is a better character when he is the polar opposite of Bruce in that--despite being an alien--he's actually much more in touch with humanity, is more optimistic, and identifies 'Clark Kent' as his real self rather than Superman. We'll see what they do with the sequel, then maybe I'll give it another shot.

Anyways, enough babble on my end, on with the preview pages!













Gotta say, Bruce is looking pretty good in these pages. Not sure about muscular tattoo-sporting, pipe-smoking Alfred though.

For more info: http://www.comicsalliance.com/2012/01/05/batman-earth-one-preview-geoff-johns-gary-frank/

Comments

[runespoor]

I think it looks interesting. Anything that riffs on Bruce pre-Batman years, main continuity or not, is relevant to my interests. Except Nolan's version, which is only interesting to me as a contrast.

I like that Alfred, here, is less repressed about his reactions and emotions than he is in main continuity. That interests me.

On the other hand: Geoff Johns writing Bruce.

[darkknightjrk]

"Except Nolan's version, which is only interesting to me as a contrast."

What didn't you like about how Nolan did it?

"On the other hand: Geoff Johns writing Bruce."

If this was being done after GL: Rebirth or Infinite Crisis, I might be inclined to agree. After seeing how he wrote him in Justice League, I'm more willing to give him a shot.

[runespoor]

Nolan's movies are about a guy called Bruce Wayne who didn't know what he wanted to do until he was an adult. He once attempted to shoot someone. To him, "Batman" is a tool. (Nothing wrong with that interpretation as such; it's just not my thing or my reading of Bruce at all.)

I prefer Bruce to see Batman as a vocation - iirc, there's even a Rucka piece where Jim compares Batman's attitude toward his calling as practically religious. That's how I see Bruce (and Cass) in relation to the Bat. (My favourite piece of canon regarding Bruce and his relationship to the Bat is the Lesson.)

After seeing how he wrote him in Justice League, I'm more willing to give him a shot.

It's easier to write a good iconic version of a character in Justice League; I'm very fond of Morrisson's writing of Bruce in his League, but I want him to stay as far away from the Bat-titles themselves as can be achieved.

[shadowpsykie]

I'm very fond of Morrisson's writing of Bruce in his League, but I want him to stay as far away from the Bat-titles themselves as can be achieved.

really? i love Morrison's batman, he brought back a "lightness" to him. He wans't the "Lone bat" anymore.

and the vocational view isn't so bad, but before Morrison ALL batman was about to many writers was "The Mission" and that was surpassing vocational and turning into fanatical.

And that take (the Lesson)i can see for a starting Bruce wayne. but not Bruce wayne now. He doesn't have the "rage" anymore, it was burned out of him. He's let people in now. And not just as tools, he uses them as actual alllies. where before they had become pretty much pawns.

[omgwtflolbbqbye]

But I think it's been reiterated here amongst us many times that previous writers have tried to temper (undick?) Bruce's harsh characterization and relationship before, it's just that it never stuck after they left. Morrision is just the first writer who managed to get it to stick, I guess because of his clout.

[shadowpsykie]

oh i know. but i still give credit where cridit is due, clout or not. Morrison hit the right combination of "darkness" with "light" which is hard to do.

[omgwtflolbbqbye]

I agree. I was just making sure we remember that while Morrison has been the most successful with the execution, he wasn't the first with that basic philosophy/outlook on Batman and the Bat-family.

[shadowpsykie]

yeah i am aware :D it's cool. i know what you meant. and i agree, there have been others who have done it as well. Rucka i think did a good Batman. (been a while since i've read Rucka's batman) but his run was perously close to the UBER DARK batman that happened right after the Quake...

[omgwtflolbbqbye]

That's part of the cyclical un-and-re dickening I suppose. It's like the writers go "I'm gonna fix Batman, but I really need to show how much of an ass he is first so people know what's wrong with him!"

[shadowpsykie]

un-and-re dickening
teehee :D

[runespoor]

Personally, I don't see "the Mission" and Bruce's family as mutually exclusive. His family exists. It's not going away. Now, I'm fascinated by the push-and-pull of it, because Bruce is always pulling people in, but at the same time he needs them to be safe, and that translates (to him) to pushing them away.

And I certainly don't see rage and letting people in as allies and family members as incompatible. Bruce and Cass' bonding over the Mission is one of my favourite part of the Bat-mythos, as are Bruce and Dick's disagreements over it or Bruce and Babs working together.

where before they had become pretty much pawns.
Depends on the writer, as usual.

But the main reason why I want Morrison off the Bat-titles isn't so much his writing of Bruce as what introducing Damian did to the concept of Batfamily as a family of choice.

[shadowpsykie]

But the main reason why I want Morrison off the Bat-titles isn't so much his writing of Bruce as what introducing Damian did to the concept of Batfamily as a family of choice.
valid opinion, i can see that. but now, its a mixed family, a family of choice and a family of blood. it doesn't dilute it. i myself come from a mixed family. have a younger sister from my parents and two older siblings from a previous relationship. it changes the dynamic, but doesn't soil it necissarily (and Damian has gotten more tolerable, i for one liked the way he was handled in leviathan. "F-father... i'm sorry... he was going to kill you" it really made me wibble. there was some real emotion and fear in the way it was drawn and worded.

but that's just me so eh.

[omgwtflolbbqbye]

And to add to that, I think Damian's current membership in the Bat-family could be considered a choice of sorts as well.

He not only had Wayne blood in him but Ghul as well which made for some tug of war throughout his tenure with the Bat-clan, up until his mom dropped the ultimatum about him having to decided to join her or he'd be disowned by the Ghul family/League of Assassins, and he turned his back on her and declared that he hoped to be a worthy enemy in that case.

[runespoor]

That hit the point of blinding raaaaaaage for me. I think Damian's existence could be handled well. As far as I'm concerned, it hasn't been yet - starting with his ultra-problematic becoming Robin after he killed people, and continuing with the fact that his existence coincides with the neat erasure of Babs' and Cass' as family members, and Steph's existence as Robin. It's not because Damian exists that these things happen (and I like Damian as a character, when he's not depicted as More Awesome Than Dick Grayson), but I hate the dynamics involved. The rules that apply to Damian are more lax than the rules that applied to anyone else, and I find that atrocious.

I still don't like Morrison's more recent Bruce, because I find his voice off somehow. I won't judge the larger characterization, I haven't followed the titles regularly enough to comment on that.

[shadowpsykie]

Snyder's batman is excellent (just throwing that out there :)

i wouldn't say the rules are more laxed, they are different though.

in batman and robin (i must admit i am not aware who writes that book) Bruce seems to be trying to keep a tighter reign on him, but he acts alot more like Jason did and agressively rebels (doesn't end well for him too often). But at the same time Damian wants affection from his father, not just a teacher. He got affection from Dick.... (that sounds wrong...) and Bruce is trying but you know Bruce...

i am with you though on him becoming Robin (however wasn't that Daniel's?) I Don't know if Morrison wanted him to become Robin so soon...

i also like the reasoning for Morrison's Batman and Robin (that Dick was going to be the lighter character trying to "tame" Damian... though i do think that Dick was awefully leniant to him and harsher on Jason) regardless it was an interesting and different take on the B&R relationship

again just MHO though

[runespoor]

I've thought mostly lots of good things about the scans I've seen here of Snyder's Batman, I agree, but so far I'm holding true to my "DC won't get my money until Cass is somewhere" resolution, and the depiction of the family leaves me with a nasty taste in my mout every time I see it.

Hey now, Jason really didn't rebel aggressively at all during his time as Robin until Death in the Family. And I generaly see a huge difference between Jason's wanting to punish criminals for hurting innocents and Damian's disregard for the lives of his enemies.

Bruce is trying but you know Bruce...
:D yeah. I do. ♥ I like that he's terribad at interpersonal relationships.

though i do think that Dick was awefully leniant to him and harsher on Jason
Well, Damian is a ten-year-old child and Jason is an adult. But I liked the Dick-and-Damian relationship a lot.

Ideally I'd have wanted Damian to be Dick's Robin and Steph to be Bruce's. :D

[shadowpsykie]

"DC won't get my money until Cass is somewhere" resolution,
well apparently there are plans for her so you have have to catch up on the backups of these books (there are quite a few good ones out;)

Hey now, Jason really didn't rebel aggressively at all during his time as Robin until Death in the Family. And I generaly see a huge difference between Jason's wanting to punish criminals for hurting innocents and Damian's disregard for the lives of his enemies.

yeah i know, still it's not how he is written sometimes (except for now, i kinda like how... ummm well afraid to sayhis name because of the reactions that can get sometimes, His CURRENT writer seems to have a good understanding of him)

:D yeah. I do. ♥ I like that he's terribad at interpersonal relationships.

heh yeah, no problem with TerriBad, but don't like "incapable" bats.

Well, Damian is a ten-year-old child and Jason is an adult. But I liked the Dick-and-Damian relationship a lot.

Oh don't get me wrong i did too, but i also love Jason... maybe its a thing for good/Bad boys *what is it about them....* :DD