One Perfect Moment: Batman #700-Batman Vs. Villains

[jlroberson]

The opening sequence from BATMAN #700, written by Grant Morrison and drawn(very, very well--either he improved greatly or his inkers have been doing him dirt; if you can make the Mad Hatter look cool, you're something) by Tony Daniel. Basically, your classic old-fashioned Batman & Robin vs. the Big Villains scene, pretty much all in a 60s tone--with a few Morrison elements thrown in. Like the Joker getting high off the Scarecrow's fear gas and...having a bit of an insanity attack.(and I guess they have this Mad Hatter because...they needed a fifth maybe) I also like touches such as Batman's costume taking a lot from the 60s TV show version, but making it work. I dig this sequence a lot, and I'll bet you could show it to anyone with no explanation and it would work. You want your old-fashioned SA Batman? Here! Grant can do that too. To me, as well, this was one of the only of these "special milestone" issues recently that really felt like something special. Or fun.




Yes, even including pervy undertones. Just like the old days.









And here. Icons. Enjoy.




(PS if interested: This week's LULU.)

Comments

[thanekos]

huh, i thought jeremiah arkham hallucinated no-face

oh well, guess there was a real one

[http://www.google.com/profiles/NielJacoby]

I only know of no-face from the batman manga from the 60's.

"EVEN CLOCK FACES MUST DIE!"

Best. Line. Ever.

[darkknightjrk]

Man, I LOVED that issue, and that sequence in particular--it would have been awesome if they used a more Silver Age-esque artist like Allred, but Daniel pulled it off. :)

[jlroberson]

And Morrison leaves so many goodies for someone later to use or not. The last third, a Damian future-Batman story(which is great), introduces a genuinely fascinating take on updating a villain--Two-Face 2. Who has an evil little fetus face on his cheek that takes over and does evil when the main guy falls asleep("the bad little face," he's called), uses TWO coins, and the neatest part is his MO--stealing and adapting the methods and weapons of PREVIOUS Batman villains. ("I don't create; I innovate") A copy of a copy, in a way; a postmodernist villain. I can see a lot to be utilized in that. He recalls the original but (ironically) brings something strongly new to the table.

[icon_uk]

I dunno, the future stuff is tying Batman to s specific future path, which is never a wise move IMHO.

We don't see Brane Taylor being referenced much these days, or most of the other Batman future stuff, we've only just got Batman Beyond, and that's had to jump through hoops to get where it is.

[shadowpsykie]

also its up to interpreation if these "Futures" are THE future of Possible time lines.

I mean Bruce is dead in the Damien future, but alive in Batman beyond (which was referenced in this story)

[jlroberson]

But it's also true we don't know which Batman dies later in front of Damian. Though right now one could think it's Dick. But I doubt Dick is really going to die.

[biznizzonpeyote]

I remember when the pages with Two-Face 2 was posted.

The general concensus was that Morrison had finally lost his gourd and apparantly DC was too afraid to tell him. Several quotes I vaugely remember is one statement saying that the way Morrison writes is like he's ripping off a six-year old. Another was my *sarcasm* "favorite" */end sarcasm* poster thebigapricot being his/her lovely self.

I felt so alone when I genuinely LIKED Batman #700...

[espanolbot]

Hm, can I still post the Batman Beyond page, or have we reached the limit now?

[icon_uk]

Some of those were posted when this first came out, I believe.

[megami18]

I really do like the art here. Batman really works that old costume. So does Robin. And the Commish is just *cool*.

[meatwhichdreams]

I - just, I....what? I mean, what?

uuhhh, well, I like the way they drew Joker and Catwoman.

[midnightvoyager]

Not all that impressed by it myself, honestly.

[nickfury90]

""The Crucifixion! The Children's Crusade! Vietnam! Just send me somewhere funny!"

This scene is the moment the Joker became THE JOKER we know today, and where the Batman stopped being the "Caped Crusader"(DON'T call me that, again!)

And I really like the future Batman stuff. I know it will probably be ignored by future writers, but whatever. The DC Universe as seen by Grant Morrison is far more interesting ^_^