Batman and El Gaucho in... "Scorpion Tango"

[arbre_rieur]

Four pages from BATMAN, INC 3...

The issue begins with a flashback sequence set during the Falklands Crisis, in which some British superheroes (including the first Knight) invading a villain's lair.



Whatever that's about, I'm sure it will tie into the present day going-ons by story arc's end.

Comments

[xammax]

Ok... no one guessing its Bruce is now pushing all bounds of reason and comic limits... what did Bruce learn in his time adventures besides more levels of badass?

[darkknightjrk]

You mean El Gaucho? I think it's a mix of Bruce's "playboy act" being so good that no one could possibly believe it (think like All-Star Superman), or El Gaucho's being really nice at the moment--"if he's not telling me who he is, but I'll keep quiet out of respect."

[drmcninja]

Now that looks suspiciously like the Shade in panel five. It certainly is like him to brutally murder superheroes like that. Or was like him, I guess is more accurate.

Other than that, I could like this. The "Tango master" was a nice touch. As was the "Ive met Bruce, and you dont fool me". Unless its Dick. Then its tantalizing but nothing special yet.

[xammax]

Its Bruce in these panels. Note the manly shoulders and the dark sexiness.

Seriously I thought I was a super straight male till 5 seconds ago.

[sherkahn]

Do we know that the Shade was the only person to be transformed the way he was? It involved a magical ritual, correct? Rituals are assembled through trial and error... The Shade may have had a predecessor.

[icon_uk]

It certainly is like him to brutally murder superheroes like that. Or was like him, I guess is more accurate.

What makes you say that? Even before his current continuity he was never really a killer, a thief yes, and a fairly ruthless one, but never a mass murderer.

In current continuity, if Culp was in charge of his body at the time he might be that deadly, but probably wouldn't be as it would attract too much attention, and perhaps draw attention to his existence (The actual Shade might get a little curious as to why people remembered him murdering people in a place he'd never been to).

The Shade, whilst ruthless to those who actively seek to oppose him (like the Ludlows) doesn't strike me as the type to kill people for some political ends.

[espanolbot]

Hm, although the Shade being there and attacking the other British heroes (he IS from London though he moved to the US in the late 1800s) might make sense if it was Culpe, I think that it might be the oft-mentioned but never appeared Knight villain Sping Heeled Jack in that scene there.

[leikomgwtfbbq]

"Poison Cinderella" would be an awesome name for a riot-grrl band. Or a female heavy-mythril band.

[superfangirl1]

Teehee,I was thinking the exact same thing too. :)

[irrelevant]

Is it just me or is this title getting exponentially more outrageous by the issue? Not to mention unbelievable even by comics standards. And my standards are pretty low because, yeah, comics fan. =P

[darkknightjrk]

A bit--that's part of the reason why I absolutely LOVE this book. It's, like, a perfect mix of modern-day thriller and storytelling with 60s show fun. :D

[psychopathicus_rex]

Do we ever find out just who those British superheroes are? They look interesting, but it seems they got wiped out after this, so...
And it's nice to have someone finally go 'thanks, but no thanks' to Batman's offer of employment. He'll probably fall in line eventually, because gods know we can't have someone who ISN'T under the thumb of the awesomely perfect Bat-god, but it's nice to have him saying it now, anyway.
Also - 'I've met Wayne, and you don't fool me'. Heh heh - nice twist.

[darkknightjrk]

Morrison is one of those guys who would think a lot of characters and have huge, unique storylines in his head and then kill them off in a few pages.

But, as this issue shows, just because it looks like someone's dead, doesn't mean they won't make a come-back. Hell, The Return showed that Batman's after an organization that is into brainwashing and control...

[arbre_rieur]

We find out their names at least: From left to right in the panel where the mist comes: Iron Lady, Captain Carnation, Mr. Albion, Fadar, and, of course, the Knight. And I *think* their group name is the Victory Vs, though it's not entirely clear; the person saying it could have been referring to something else.

I like the little hints Morrisons drops about their background, like how Mr. Albion wields Weyland Smith's hammer and Captain Carnation is from an "Alter-England."

[q99]

-Do we ever find out just who those British superheroes are? They look interesting, but it seems they got wiped out after this, so... -

Personally, this is how I think quick 'buff the villain' deaths should be handled. Put enough there that you can believe new characters are legitimate heroes, then eliminate 'em without messing with someone's fav. Builds a sense that there's more heroes out there than we normally follow.

[zechs80]

The way the person's powers where used and the top hat and look reminds me of the Shade. huh.... curious and curiouser.

[omnipotent]

I love the tango page. Hnngh. I want to learn that dance so bad.

[darkknightjrk]

Same here--and if I can learn at the feet of unknown tango masters of the Andean valley, all the better. :D

[icon_uk]

I really, REALLY hope that the Gaucho doesn't convert to the cause of Bat-ness and that he views Bruce Wayne the way that he viewed Mayhew (An interesting comparison I hadn't considered before).

The fundamental, monumental, arrogance behind the conceit of Batman Inc ("Screw the hero you WERE, and the name you worked hard to make for yourself, I'll make you a Batman, subservient to my commands.. isn't that neat?") just completely fails to interest me.

[sadoeuphemist]

You don't actually need to become a Batman to work for Batman, Inc., he's just looking for employees.

"Even Meaner? The Meanest! Worst than the orphans and widows you drowned?"

[espanolbot]

Hm, the Shade seems unlikely due to James Robinson having semi-control of the character since Starman, I do think that it might be the British supervillain Spring-heeled Jack.

He was the one who has been mentioned a lot in Morrison's numerous Knight-realted comics but has yet to actually appear yet. He killed the original Knight be forcefeeding him a bomb and then exploding him from the inside out.

Re: "Even Meaner? The Meanest! Worst than the orphans and widows you drowned?"

[psychopathicus_rex]

Not to be persnickety (OK, too late), but I believe it's actually "Even meaner? You mean it? Worse than the widows and orphans you've drowned?" Sorry; big 'Great Mouse Detective' fan.

[jlroberson]

Paquette is so...

That woman is so...

I love this book.I do.

[arbre_rieur]

Enjoy it while you can. Isn't this his last issue?

[icon_uk]

It's also odd that Cornell can whip up a double dozen heroes and villains in Knight and Squire and make me want to find out more about all of them. This bunch of Morrison generated heroes? I just can't seem to give a shit about any of them... things like the Iron Lady's freaky talking style, it doesn't intruige, it annoys (Especially the random reference to Blue Peter)

Thing it that I KNOW Morrison CAN do things like this well, his Zenith is full of fun throwaway characters (some based on classic British comics, some original) but now he's just... trying too hard to be weird.

[misterbug]

I thought the point of them was to have them not be so likeable, as they're only cannon fodder. You don't create a character based on Margaret Thatcher for her likeability.

[misterbug]

Whoah, whoah, whoah - wait a second.

Zor? Zachary Zor? That you again, ol' buddy?

[mrstatham]

Ooh, good eye. That *would* fit with the 'everything counts' approach Morrison has taken to his continuity, and given the shaky timeline of Seven Soldiers, Zor could be involved.

[eightleggedbeast]

THATCHERBOT FIGHTS CRIME

[eightleggedbeast]

...and mining, and Ireland

[star_of_airdrie]

I want to like this book, I really do, but it just feels like I'm back at the University and dating a really popular guy and everyone is jealous I'm with him, but he doesn't do it for me and I don't know what to do. Do I keep seeing him and hope things get more interesting?... or do I just walk away and find out what is going on with him through the grapevine (or s_d?) what to do, what to do...

[jarodrussell]

Do I keep seeing him and hope things get more interesting?

Your mileage may vary, but I think...if we were to compare Morrison's works to a box of LEGO...this is the stage where we're opening bags and dumping out parts. We're getting a lot of pieces, but that's all, and sometimes that's a little tedious. It's going to take this first year...if memory serves...before Morrison starts putting the model together.

I didn't start reading Morrison's Batman until well after Final Crisis, well after I'd seen a bunch of B&R posts here, well after reading a bunch of 4chan conspiracy threads, and even then I started halfway through with Batman RIP. If I'd started cold back with Batman & Son, I think I would have felt like I was burning money.

So, again, your mileage may vary, but I think by the time we get to #6 or #7, when summer's here and the Morrison conspiracy threads flow like honey on /co/, it'll really start to get interesting.

[blackruzsa]

Funny
the "duende" in our language is a short, hairy old man--a dwarf who lives in mounds.

You can understand my confusion when she mentioned it.