|
|
Post by Huw on Jan 6, 2014 19:04:44 GMT -5
Hey everyone, hope you're all well.
i thought it would be fun to start a discussion about Batman comics. No real strict theme, just somewhere to sound off about all things Batman in comic books.
So, what's everyone's history with the Bat, favourite arc, favourite villain etc and why?
If you've got ANYTHING to say about Batman comics, then share away!
|
|
|
|
Post by xtjmac510x on Jan 6, 2014 19:51:21 GMT -5
This will be fun:
-History: Batman The Animated Series was one of the first shows I remember watching as a kid. Mask of Phantasm was one of the first movies I ever saved up to buy.
-Favorite Arc: The Long Halloween, The Black Hand or Morrison's Batman and Robin
-Favorite Villain: The easy answer would be The Joker but I've always had a thing for Killer Croc. There's so much more to him than meets the eye. Plus he's not COMPLETELY evil.
-Favorite Ep of BTAS: Mad Love, Harley's Day out or Baby Doll
-Feelings on other Bat-shows: Love the Adam West series, love Batman Brave and the Bold, The Batman was okay and Beware the Batman wasn't as bad as some people are saying.
|
|
|
|
Post by joroak on Jan 6, 2014 20:14:50 GMT -5
I grew up watching TAS. But it took me a long time to get into the Comics. The first batman issue I actually started reading was during RIP. I liked the character I never knew quite when to jump in. So I got that and stopped. And went backwards all the way to knightfall.
My favorite arc is the long Halloween. Followed closely by the black mirror.
My favorite villain is Ra's. Ever since the TAS, hearing him call batman "detective". It just kinda stuck with me. I also like Talia a lot more when she wasn't so inherently evil. I liked the fine line she walked with Bruce as opposed to trying to murder him.
|
|
|
|
Post by Simon on Jan 6, 2014 22:46:15 GMT -5
Like a lot of people I grew up watching Batman: The Animated Series. I had a tape with the episodes Christmas with the Joker, and The Laughing Fish, and I watched it so many times that I destroyed it.
Favourite Arc is The Black Mirror, the art by both Jock and Francesco Francavilla, is beautiful and Snyder's writing is great. Others are Morrison and Quitely's Batman and Robin, and Winick and Mahnke's Under the Hood.
Favourite Villains are Poison Ivy, especially when she's paired with Harley, and I also like a lot of the villains from Batman Beyond like Inque or Blight or Shriek.
Favourite Episodes of TAS are Holiday Knights and The Laughing Fish.
|
|
akaboali
Fearless Defender
“I'd rather take coffee than compliments just now.” ― Louisa May Alcott
Posts: 19 
|
Post by akaboali on Jan 7, 2014 7:20:16 GMT -5
My first introduction to the character was through the Batman Animated series, but with the comics it was a different thing all together. Didn't start reading comics until recently (last four years) and I thought the best way to catch up is to start digging through Batman comic's history. Spent months reading only old/important Batman trades and graphic novels. And recently with the New 52, I've been regularly reading monthly Batman comics and never looked back.
Loving what Snyder did with the character.
Favorite Arc: Court of Owls
Favorite Villain: It's gotta be The Joker
|
|
|
|
Post by lennyreid on Jan 7, 2014 9:06:31 GMT -5
Introduction came through the Adam West Batman series as a kid and didn't start collecting until the New 52. I had random comics from different arcs including the RIP run that I just inherited from a buddy who was getting rid.
Favourite arc: Is actually in Swamp Thing, The Greening of Gotham, where Batman isn't the main point of interest but there is so much of Batman's detective skills, diplomacy, and resolute defence of Gotham highlighted in this short run.
Favourite villain: Poison Ivy. I have a thing for plant-based characters like Medphyll (Green Lantern) and my favourite, Swamp Thing. I like the incorporated science that writers always strive for and I'm a bit of an armchair eco-friendly guy myself so I can always understand the villains' motivation.
Overall I feel Batman is such a relatable character for so many because he represents the peak of potential and achievement in a human given the opportunities, and who doesn't daydream about that?
|
|
|
|
Post by Huw on Jan 7, 2014 11:18:34 GMT -5
It's great reading what everyone has said so far!
My first experience of Batman was watching the 60's show with my Dad when I was a kid. Probably going back as young as when I was 5.
After that, as with a lot of people, my next exposure came in TAS. One thing I remember is being thrown by the huge difference compared to the Adam West TV show. I was compelled by how dark it was and loved seeing Bats stalking villains in the dark. I still regularly re-watch that show and I absolutely love it.
I started sporadically picking comics up with my pocket money when I was in high school and Batman was just hitting the end of the Knightfall run (around 1994/5, I think). I still have those issues now and have filled in my collection so it's a full run from #450 up to when it ended at #713 as well as a lot of the other pre-52 Bat-books.
My favourite Batman story is a toss up between The Long Halloween and Dark Victory. Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale's work with Batman was wonderful and I re-read them at least once a year.
My favourite villain is Two-Face. The history that Harvey Dent and Bruce/Bats share always brings an extra dimension to when they cross paths that most other villains don't have.
As far as the New-52 stuff goes, I'm thoroughly enjoying everything Snyder and Capullo have done so far. I hope they stay on the book for a long time to come. Snyder's pre-52 work with Bats was also pretty damn great, especially The Black Mirror.
|
|
|
|
Post by thephantomwelshman on Jan 7, 2014 13:04:35 GMT -5
considering I've only recently come into comics my earliest childhood memory is when I was 4, running about the nursery school playground with my duffle coat just done up with the top toggle transforming it into a cape, the hood up shouting 'der ner ner ner ner batman', so I obviously loved Adam West batman when I was a nipper :-)
Comic wise I've picked up all the obvious ones - Dark Knight returns, Year 1, and the Killing Joke which are all great. I really loved Snyders Court of Owls arc.
Think the next one I need to investigate is the Long Halloween.
|
|
|
|
Post by joroak on Jan 7, 2014 18:48:49 GMT -5
considering I've only recently come into comics my earliest childhood memory is when I was 4, running about the nursery school playground with my duffle coat just done up with the top toggle transforming it into a cape, the hood up shouting 'der ner ner ner ner batman', so I obviously loved Adam West batman when I was a nipper :-) Comic wise I've picked up all the obvious ones - Dark Knight returns, Year 1, and the Killing Joke which are all great. I really loved Snyders Court of Owls arc. Think the next one I need to investigate is the Long Halloween. You can't go wrong with the long Halloween. After you read it youll see that Nolan was a big fan. The dark knight had stuff taken right out of there. |
|
|
|
Post by drocat on Jan 7, 2014 21:26:26 GMT -5
This will be fun: -History: Batman The Animated Series was one of the first shows I remember watching as a kid. Mask of Phantasm was one of the first movies I ever saved up to buy.Me too! My favorite animated movie ever. My favorite villain, actually my favorite character, is definitely The Joker. So deep and interesting. The dynamic between him and Batman is what superhero comics are all about. Honestly, one of my favorite arcs is the Death Of The Family arc. Maybe it's just because it's fresh in my head but it really stuck with me. EDIT: Holy crap I forgot about The Long Halloween! Amazing. |
|
|
|
Post by rosscarter on Jan 8, 2014 10:36:57 GMT -5
I echo everyone's feelings about The Long Halloween. Obviously Scott Snyder's Court of Owls has nestled in with the "classics" as one of the best Batman stories also.
Doug Moench (not sure if that's spelled correctly) wrote an arc in the early 90s, even before Knightfall, called "Prey", which DC has collected into a trade. It's all about Hugo Strange, and it's really REALLY good.
Despite the mullets, spikes, and pouches, Moench and Chuck Dixon really put out some quality Batman stories in the 90s, and really used the Gotham PD as a great supporting cast.
|
|
|
|
Post by Huw on Jan 8, 2014 18:54:01 GMT -5
I echo everyone's feelings about The Long Halloween. Obviously Scott Snyder's Court of Owls has nestled in with the "classics" as one of the best Batman stories also. Doug Moench (not sure if that's spelled correctly) wrote an arc in the early 90s, even before Knightfall, called "Prey", which DC has collected into a trade. It's all about Hugo Strange, and it's really REALLY good. Despite the mullets, spikes, and pouches, Moench and Chuck Dixon really put out some quality Batman stories in the 90s, and really used the Gotham PD as a great supporting cast. Moench and Dixon are up there with the best teams to ever work on Batman. They put some great stuff. |
|
|
|
Post by Simon on Jan 9, 2014 2:36:10 GMT -5
I echo everyone's feelings about The Long Halloween. Obviously Scott Snyder's Court of Owls has nestled in with the "classics" as one of the best Batman stories also. Doug Moench (not sure if that's spelled correctly) wrote an arc in the early 90s, even before Knightfall, called "Prey", which DC has collected into a trade. It's all about Hugo Strange, and it's really REALLY good. Despite the mullets, spikes, and pouches, Moench and Chuck Dixon really put out some quality Batman stories in the 90s, and really used the Gotham PD as a great supporting cast. Moench and Dixon are up there with the best teams to ever work on Batman. They put some great stuff. I've never read any of Dixon's Batman stuff, but I thought his Nightwing stuff was good. What should I check out from those two? |
|
|
|
Post by rosscarter on Jan 9, 2014 10:29:29 GMT -5
Moench and Dixon are up there with the best teams to ever work on Batman. They put some great stuff. I've never read any of Dixon's Batman stuff, but I thought his Nightwing stuff was good. What should I check out from those two? Check out those giant Knightfall trades. The story alternated writers between Moench and Dixon (one was writing Batman, the other was writing Detective.) It's a massive story, but really fun, and it's got the famed "breaking of the bat." Dixon was also one of the architects of "No Man's Land." The Dark Knight Rises was kind of a combination of Knightfall and No Man's Land. |
|
|
|
Post by Nick on Jan 9, 2014 14:05:34 GMT -5
My first memories of Batman are from watching The Super Friends cartoon. I was obsessed with Kenner Super Powers toys, especially the Batman toy (I even remember having a dream about acquiring one!).  The old Adam West show was also a huge part of my childhood life (I can't wait till they finally release that series on Blu-Ray). Along with the toys and the TV show, I collected Batman and Detective Comics from my local grocery store. Once the Time Burton Batman movie was announced, I went crazy and started collecting anything with Batman on it. I had quite the Batman collection for a kid. I was proud of my collection and displayed it all in my room. Thinking back on it now, I didn't have anything of any real value or rarity, but it was fun. I think some of that stuff is in my mom's attic. I might have to check it out next time I help them get their Christmas decorations down. I recently got back into comics after a decade or so break and have been amazed by everything that has happened in the Batman universe since I've been gone. I'm currently reading Snyder and Capullo's Batman, Batman 66, and Scooby Doo Team Up (featuring Batman). Thinking about all this Batman stuff has made me regret not buying Detective Comics #27 yesterday... |
|
