Batman: Damned #2

[cyberghostface]

The next issue has yet to come out but it's been over a month so I'm posting a third from this one.

Warning for rape

Comments

[lordultimus]

Isn't this getting cancelled?

[cyberghostface]

I don't think cancelled permanently just pushed back.

[redmagpie]

WELP THIS IS HORRIBLE
More specifically I feel really uncomfortable about Harley looking sexy as she's about to rape him. I mean that shot feels designed to titillate and it's like... this terrible violating moment and ends with Bruce killing her and further traumatising himself because that's so against his moral code. What's the intention with any of this?

[cyberghostface]

I think what looks like the autopsy scar at least makes it more horrific.

As for the intent idk but there’s a deliberate parallel with Harley and Martha (when Bruce goes to ‘shoot’ her) so make of that what you will.

[mastermahan]

I don't know. I think if you're going for horrific, you don't want to emphasize the pert, erect nipple.

Either way, I don't want to read about Batman having to fight off being raped.

[cyberghostface]

I mean I’ve seen it emphasized with Harley in Dini’s stuff. If they wanted it to be titilating they probably wouldn’t have presented it with the Harley being as disturbed or with incestual subtext by having her in the same position as his mother.

[mastermahan]

I think Dini's Harley has a slightly different context.

[cyberghostface]

That’s what I was saying.

[redmagpie]

Like yeah I agree that it's disturbing, but it's also drawn to titillate. And sure that's probably supposed to be disturbing, but we're also sort of deep in Bruce's POV here (like you said with the mum thing, we're seeing the parallels he sees) so is the suggestion that he's sort of turned on by Harley? Like they could have made her entirely monstrous but instead we've got like coyly covered breasts and sexy lip licking?

[joetuss]

Who was this comic meant for?

[lego_joker]

People who still had faith in Brian Azzarello after the TKJ movie?

[thanekos]

He is very good at coming up with plots for, and dialogue to accompany, Bermejo's art.

[joetuss]

Makes sense.

[cyberghostface]

Horror fans? This is very tame compared to stuff that Ennis and Millar churn out on a regular basis.

[joetuss]

Yeah, but like someone above commented, nobody really wants to see Batman like this.

[cyberghostface]

I would agree if it was like this in the main title on a regular basis but as a three-issue elseworlds miniseries I don't have a problem with it.

For example... Spider-Man: Reign is probably one of the darkest and bleakest Spidey stories ever where Peter is a depressed old man and MJ is dead. I personally think it's one of the best Spidey AUs. But if they were to turn the main ASM title into something as drab I imagine it would get tiring.