Batman: Knight and Squire

Batman: Miniseries

by Paul Cornell (Writer), Jimmy Broxton (Illustrator)

Just as Gotham City has Batman and Robin, London has Knight and Squire – the British heroes and frequent allies of The Dark Knight. In a secret bar within the city where magic is used to keep the peace, heroes and villains gather to enjoy a pint and talk about their days. But what happens when the magical barriers that prevent fighting are dropped and a building full of heroes and villains confront each other all at once? Knight and Squire have to save both friend and foe in this tale from hot writer Paul Cornell (ACTION COMICS) and up-and-coming artist Jimmy Broxton (THE UNWRITTEN).

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Batman, Dc Comics, Superheroes, Graphic Novels Comics, Humor

160 pages, Paperback

First published July 5, 2011

About the author

Paul Cornell is a British writer of science fiction and fantasy prose, comics and television. He's been Hugo Award-nominated for all three media, and has won the BSFA Award for his short fiction, and the Eagle Award for his comics. He's the writer of Saucer Country for Vertigo, Demon Knights for DC, and has written for the Doctor Who TV series. His new urban fantasy novel is London Falling, out from Tor on December 6th.

via Wikipedia @ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Cor...

Reviews

[Jayson · Rating 3 out of 5]

(B+) 77% | Good
Notes: A superhero spoof with a sketch-show soul, it’s plot-poor but quaint, built on Briticisms, in-jokes and bygone charm.

[Alan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Paul Cornell is better known for his Dr. Who books and television writing. Here DC Comics turns him loose with the recently resurrected (not from the dead-just brought back into light) British Batman and Robnin the Knight and Squire. Picking up from Grant Morrison's take that this Knight is the son of the first Knight (introduced in a 1950s Batman story) Cyril and Beryl are much more British, as is the story, than anything Cornell wrote for Marvel (regardless of the critical praise). Yes, Cornell pokes some fun at Americans and Brits. The story is well paced, and the dialogue works. If Cornell elected to write more stories featuring these two, and the 130 characters he and artist Jimmy Broxton created for this series I would certainly read more.

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a tad too British for my tastes at first, but Paul Cornell finally won me over. Laugh out loud funny and touching as hell. Too bad we never got a sequel.....

[Dr Rashmit Mishra · Rating 3 out of 5]

So basically this is a tale of UK's Batman and Robin, and instead of the dark gritty tale of Gotham it's a parody take with a whole lot of in jokes and absolutely no plot . The art was neat , the homages were fun but overall it felt like drag to read at times . It's not a bad book , but it's not a must read either

[Jean-Pierre Vidrine · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Not what I expected" just barely begins to describe Knight and Squire. I, for one, was thrilled that Grant Morrison brought back the old Heroes Club concept; and seeing one of the international "Batmen" get his own spinoff is a dream come true that I never actually dreamed of. Anglophile that I am, Knight and Squire being the recipients of that spinoff was just an added bonus.
Even with all of these guarantees in the book's favor, I still had no idea that the book would be the surreal British mix of serious super hero and Pythonesque comedy that it is.
I only really see two flaws with this book: 1)the name "Batman" in the title; I know the characters spin out from Batman comics, but Batman doesn't even make a cameo in this book. Why is his name above the title? I'll be filing this under "K" for knight. 2)there is no sign yet of future Knight and Squire stories. With DC's New 52 being all-around very serious, and Paul Cornell being busy with a few of those titles, this is understandable. But, I'd still like to see more of these characters who, before six issues were up, became more than just a British Batman and Robin.
I'm sure more "serious-minded" and "purist" Batman fans will not like this book. But those people also disliked the "R. I. P." story and the Brave and the Bold animated series. And I don't have any use for those people.

[Mike · Rating 2 out of 5]

I decided to check out this collected mini-series after reading Squire's appearance in Batgirl. I have no other exposure to the characters nor did I read any of the other Batman Inc. related comics.

A British version of Batman is at once an accurate and yet extremely inadequate description of this comic. Knight and Squire operate similarly to Batman and Robin, but are uniquely developed characters in their own right (beyond just having a different country of origin). Squire, in particular, has an interesting "power" and is seems to be the center of the story, slightly more so than Knight. The British Joker, inspired by his namesake but too tasteful to actually commit crimes, is also a highlight.

The locale does play an important part in this series however. Cornell's Britain is the third main character, so to speak. It is almost too fully realized, with the explanations of how things work in Knight's world and the ridiculous number of supporting characters detracting a bit from our "dynamic duo." The six issues weren't enough to hold everything he wanted to include, and he tried too hard to fit it all.

Overall Knight and Squire would've been better off as an ongoing, but what is here is decent and worth taking a chance on simply for how it revels in being different from the norm.

[Sam Quixote · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun and quirky, this is a clever and entertaining spin-off from Grant Morrison's Batman and Robin series. Full review here!

[Shannon Appelcline · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun look at a whimsical British world of (130!) superheroes. However, the individual stories have little depth to them, and the result is a little disappointing for the usually top-rate Cornell.

[Anchorpete · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant.

Out of the list of my favorite authors, the majority are from the United Kingdom. I have been on a bit of a kick, right now, where my absolute favorite seems to be Douglas Adams. I am intrigued by the delivery of British humor, especially when it is coupled with almost insane, out there sci-fi concepts. That is why the 'Hitchhiker's guide' books are taking up so much of my time. This book had a shade of that, but of course became even more appealing because of the connection to Batman.
High Points include the fact that The Knight (the British counterpart to Batman) has a butler and he appears to be from Texas. Also, there is the British Joker, who is comically unthreatening, which makes our American version even more terrifying, when he makes an appearance.
Six very different issues, each of which show how even though us Americans and Brits have a lot in common, we are still two very different nations. I wish there was more.

[Steven · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun Batman pastiche romp within England making them more than the window dressing characters revived by Morrison.

[April · Rating 1 out of 5]

(Originally posted @ CSI:Librarian.)

Flipping through Knight and Squire briefly at the library, I thought this would be something I'd enjoy. I love humor, I love puns, I love anything to do with the UK, and I think Batman is pretty cool. All signs pointed to fun and funny times. Sadly this was not to be.

Instead the whole thing was like an overly long and extremely juvenile issue of Mad magazine that was paying homage to British pop-culture of the 60s and 70s. Every single page was riddled with British slang, British catch phrases and sayings as superhero names, bad stereotypes, and quotes from British shows that Americans are familar with. I wish I could think of one good thing to highlight in terms of anything besides the artwork because the art was really great. There were some decent moments early on and even in later parts of the graphic novel, but I don't know how much it matters since they were drowned in a sea of neverending one liners.

I cannot even begin to imagine how unenjoyable this would be for someone unfamiliar with the references and really not all that interested in being bombarbed by all things stereotypically British. My guess would be extremely, but even though I got each reference and I understood each attempt at humor, none of them were funny. Because nothing is funny when you don't give the reader any time to enjoy anything at all. As for caring the storyline or characters? So little was taken seriously that by the time anything was it was absolutely impossible for me to have cared even a tiny bit.

In conclusion, London deserves a better class of hero and criminal, and I deserved a better graphic novel. This was not Batman and Robin in England. This was simply a horrible hokey albeit well-illustrated nightmare. And even the Joker himself couldn't prevent Knight and Squire from being the absolute worst graphic novel I've read in 2011.

[Matthew Kresal · Rating 4 out of 5]

I first read Knight & Squire when it came out as a six issue mini-series and really only picked up the graphic novel version for completion's sake. Reading it as one whole story instead of six issues, the story is very good. It has a very episodic feel to it for four out of its six chapters as it ranges from a London pub where superheroes and villains meet, a group of Morris Men stealing occult items, a showdown with a resurrected Richard III and a suit or armor run amok. The last two chapters are less episodic as they bring elements of the previous chapters together, along with the arrival of a surprise villain, to bring the story to a close. Writer Paul Cornell mixes the comedic with the serious throughout the series from the sinister purpose behind the Morris Men or what lies behind the suit of armor running amok for example. Cornell also works in tons of references to British pop culture that Anglophiles will find enjoyable and others (or those who aren't as much of an Anglophile as they'd like to be such as myself) seeking the page at the back of each chapter that explains some of the more obscure references. Jimmy Broxton's artwork suits Cornell's writing well as it to floats the fine line between the two. In short Knight & Squire might not be for everyone, but with it's episodic format and how it walks a fine line between the comedic and the serious, it's a fun read for those inclined towards British culture and superheroes.

[Anya · Rating 1 out of 5]

After the Knight and Squire were reintroduced in Grant Morrison's series, I thought this would be a good followup. Unfortunately, it was incredibly boring and not funny despite trying really hard. Everything from the names of the British heroes to every line uttered by the cast at the pub is either a line from some UK tv series that made it to the US or really bad slang. The fact that there are pages explaining all the references at the end of each chapter and the age of the refrences tells you more about the writers than it helps the story. Squire has a lot of potential, but setting her up in the very first story with someone who isn't even sure what his powers are or what side to be on and then killing him off by the end of the book? Meh. Even an appearance by the Joker to deal with Jarvis Poker, the British Joker, doesn't save this.

[Dale · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bought this for myself with some birthday gift certificate money and expected it to be a moderately entertaining diversion given the premise of "Batman and Robin, but the British versions". In the equivalent of six comic book issues it more than delivers on the premise while at the same time reveling in many of the absurdities of British pop culture as well as some interesting meditations on how American and Bristish entertainment relate to and inform and comment on one another. Lots of inside jokes for old-school comics fans (like me, duh) but also a great story on its own terms, starting out with what seems like pointless random bits which magically add up to a really satisfying conclusion.

[Brian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Knight and Squire is a spinoff from All-Star Batman featuring the superheroes of Great Britain. There's not really a continuing story arc (unless you count Shrike) so it's more an issue by issue collection. It's enjoyable, and the sheer number of characters created for this world (82 as mentioned in just the first chapter alone) is amazing. Unfortunately, it does suffer some because I'm not British so even when there are notes after each chapter detailing some references, I still can't appreciate it fully.

Also it's kind of short. I'd like to see more of this world in an ongoing series outside of just Batman Incorporated, but that's just me.

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

At last a British comic from DC. This is great, very funny and emotionally moving too. Paul Cornell creates single handedly the Britain of DC universe and it is fun. I suspect some of the references will be lost on American readers, but lets face it, us British have not got some references for years in the American comics.

Its a shame its only a limited series that was stopped. I want more Knight and Squire please.

[Steven · Rating 4 out of 5]

The best part of this book is that it's stuffed full of absolutely ludicrous and very English in-jokes and references, some of which Cornell spells out in appendices, and many of which (including the most scurrilous) that he doesn't. It's a bit by the numbers as a story, but damned good fun regardless. Sadly, with the overhaul of the SC Universe, a return visit to this lot of louts seems unlikely, and more's the shame.

[Sam Poole · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very British and pretty fun. Reminiscent of batman 66 in a lot of ways. Good tone and characterization, though clearly the stars
Of
The series are 100 something characters they made up for but roles. Would read the ish out of a full length series

[Jason · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed thoroughly. jolly hockeysticks and tea and crumpets britishness, very amusing. Worth a read good old fashioned comic book writing

[Chad · Rating 3 out of 5]

Has a British sensibility about it. Filled with BBC pop culture references that I didn't get at all.

[Jay B · Rating 4 out of 5]

I want more!

[cauldronofevil · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’m going off my book diet again. After reading about Knight and Squire in the Batman Character Encyclopedia I had an urge to see what they were up to and found a trade paperback of them!

“For Six” tells of a magical tavern in England’s that the super-folks hang out in, protected by a magic spell that keeps hero’s and villains from attacking each other.

”You should see London now, you wouldn’t recognize it! You got the blacks and the asians and the gays, shoving it down your throat— — you got them poles and kaziwatzits flooding in— — and there’s nothing we can do to stop it!”

For Six-Part 2 has the Knight & Squire facing the Morris Men.

Squire goes to a comic shop where the proprietor is talking to a super-villain. She then goes home and the Knight calls her to action. Apparently most people know her identity.

Apparently they found the Morris Men (or Man) who escaped by supernatural means. This was pretty weirdly unfathomable to me.

In the third issue, scientists in England decide to bring Richard II back to life. Turns out, not such a good guy.

He brings a few other old English kings back to life and they set off the re-write the British Constitution.

Other British superheroes come out to fight the ‘Rogue Kings’ along with Knight and Square.

Squire tracks how the ‘kings’ rate on the internet.

In the back of each issue so far it has name-checked some of the ‘British inside jokes’ that were in the preceding comic. Which I appreciate, except I’m not British and don’t get all the references. I think the stories are more hurt by the attempts than helped. Without the in-jokes there’s not much story there.

Part Four starts with Squire on a sort-of date with the former villain ‘Shrike’.

Squire takes him to the Castle where Knight lives. Knight is trying to augment his armor so that it can keep fighting if he is knocked unconscious.

Squire and Shrike seem to have many communication problems that piss each other off.

Of course, the empty Knight Armor with bad programming comes in to take out the real Knight because there is some left-over psychological damage in the armor’s programming. The Knight wasn’t always a good guy.

”Going on and on about twaddle like that. You could almost be— American!”

This was the most straight-forward super-hero story and worked really well, making Knight and Squire as a British Batman and Robin without being a mirror-image parody. And most of the ‘britishims’ explained at the end of the story were pretty understandable.

This one was nicely done. I hope the rest follow suit.

Part 5 has the British Joker being told by his doctor that he has only a few weeks to live.

Apparently it’s a thing in England that there are many super villains who merely imitate the styles of American super villains Of course with Knight & Squire I guess it makes a certain amount of sense.

K&S quickly determine that Jarvis Poker is dying and decide to give him some dignity by saying on the telly that they know he’s getting ready to commit the crime of the century!

But someone unexpected shows up to interrupt his crime spree.

The last page is quite interesting in that it goes back to issue #1 and identifies all the background characters in the bar! That’s 88 characters!

SPOILER ALERT!

The original Joker goes to England to show the British Joker how it’s done. To that end he kills several Heroes including the newly minted hero that Squire was dating.

At this point both heroes and villains team up in a way to take the Joker down.

This was a fascinating and weird set of stories. I’m not sure it all gelled, but I’m also not sure that I’m not too used to ‘American’ story telling to have quite ‘gotten’ it all.

It was definitely not what I expected, but darned interesting nonetheless.

In the back are sketches of character designs, which is pretty interesting.

Well, it was definitely British as shit, though I feel like the ‘poor man’s 60’s Batman’ doesn’t really work for well. And something else, could have been done. Of course, if you had to dig through the previous Knight and Squire appearances you probably wouldn’t get much better.

I’m going to give it 2 stars. Lots of it didn’t really work, but lots of it did.

[Lillian Francis · Rating 4 out of 5]

In parts a fun take on Batman and Robin but with the pathos that Brits can do so well in their comedy (this is a hill i will die on). I'd come to like the main cast of characters (although there were too many characters introduced into the 6 issues to care about everyone) so the deaths, when they came in #6, hit home.
The comedy and nods to Brit pop culture are probably dated and only resonate with readers over a certain age. Anyone under 30 will struggle with a lot of those references.
I loved the concept of the pub being common ground for all supes regardless of hero status.
Art was great.

[A.W. · Rating 2 out of 5]

I feel like there were numerous in-jokes and hidden cultural references that went straight over my head one hundred percent. And perhaps, I feel that way simply because that did appear to be the case as I read it. There was so much going on and I understood very little.

I even believe that a technical term for this would be 'continuity lockout' or something.

It isn't that this trade paperback is bad or outright terrible. I just think that the larger issue is that this wasn't a book that you could just open and jump in with ease. And therefore, just I didn't enjoy it in the long run.

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Borrowed this from the library, on a whim. It was surprisingly good. Cornell has fun mining British/UK culture for little tidbits to flesh out his story and setting. There's a lot of funny stuff here, but the story is actually kind of touching, in the end.

[Sean · Rating 1 out of 5]

I guess this must only appeal to the British, as its just a long inside joke that I wasn't apart of. Oh well. I could only get through half before throwing in the towel. Broxton's art was good but I had no idea what was happening or why it was interesting. Overall, not for me.

[H. Givens · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the characters, but they didn't really get to do anything -- the tone is most reminiscent of the 60s Batman show. Until it suddenly goes a bit dark at the end.

[Fay · Rating 4 out of 5]

How quintessentially British.

[Nick · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lot of fun with a lot of heart.

[Morgan Dalton]

Wasn't on board for the first couple of chapters but grabbed me by the end