I Read Comic Books discussion

I get it that he's DC's flagship character/fan favorite, I just wish he wasn't SO ubiquitous. No real reason for the post, other than to vent. I do like the character, just not to see him at every turn.

Don't you mean eff Tom King?

I'm fine with the amount of Batman content produced as long as it's high quality. It's the cash grabs that frustrate me.

Didn't it use to be worse though?

I've been catching up on years of crossover events, and for peak pointlessness, it's hard to top Batman: Bruce Wayne, Murderer?

It used to be tons worse. Most of the 90's were crap Batman comics.

I'm going to give Snyder a pass here because he and Morrison did some great stuff in the last couple years with the Caped Crusader

Christopher wrote: "Don't you mean eff Tom King?"

No, because I've not read enough of his Batman to comment, and what I have read was stellar.

How do you feel about Hispanic Batman ?

Ed wrote: "How do you feel about Hispanic Batman ?"

Surprised, because I did not know that was a thing. I would be inclined to read it. Though a hispanic Batman immediately reminds me of The Tick's Batmanuel. (The Tick: The Complete Edlund NEW EDITION!)

Yeah, I'd like to read that, too. I'm not into superheros at all. Just not my thing. An occasionally Batman is OK. But I find the parodies more interesting, like Batman/Elmer Fudd Special #1.

My in-real-life comics group almost never reads superheroes, but this month we are doing Batman: Year One, so I guess I'll read that.

Ed wrote: "Yeah, I'd like to read that, too. I'm not into superheros at all. Just not my thing. An occasionally Batman is OK. But I find the parodies more interesting, like [book:Batman/Elmer Fudd Special #1|..."

Out of curiosity, were any other superhero comics considered? Or was it just Batman?

In our group, the group leader choose the book by herself. She mixes it up with lots of different styles. Don't know why she picked this one this time.

We also bring in our own things to discuss and some people do bring in superheros.

Though I don't read much Batman, I did read a book about the history and many versions of Batman: The Caped Crusade: Batman and the Rise of Nerd Culture.

The main take-away is that there have been many versions. Here is part of my review:
This is the main reason I don't read superhero comics: the center does not hold. Characters and story lines have been pushed and pulled in so many different directions that it makes no sense any more.

And yet, there are some damn good individual batman books and movies.

Ed wrote: "This is the main reason I don't read superhero comics: the center does not hold. Characters and story lines have been pushed and pulled in so many different directions that it makes no sense any more...."

Eh. I can't really see this as a drawback. It is so obviously a strength. "Whoever is tired of multiversal continuity is tired of life."

There was even a recent independent series called "The Wrong Planet," I think, which had campy Batman stuck in the gritty Frank Miller Gothan (only it wasn't Batman.. except it was..)



I do see how it would intimidate the current writers of Batman.

Christopher wrote: "Whoever is tired of multiversal continuity is tired of life."

Guilty as charged!

Seriously, though, I just like other things. Maybe would be different if I'd started reading them earlier before all the million different backstories already existed. We'll see how long I can go with some new 'universes' like the Black Hammer books.

Ed wrote: "Seriously, though, I just like other things. Maybe would be different if I'd started reading them earlier before all the million different backstories already existed. We'll see how long I can go with some new 'universes' like the Black Hammer books."

It's interesting that you're into the Black Hammer books when all they are are homages to DC characters for the most part. I'm in no way knocking Black Hammer because I really dig it. I'm just surprised you do if you don't like superhero books.

Chad wrote: "It's interesting that you're into the Black Hammer books when all they are are homages to DC characters for the most part...."

Oh, I have liked some versions of SuperMan and BatMan. I just don't have interest in following the whole history of each.

That is the main thing I have against superhero stories. Too many contradictory versions and too many crossovers. Too many times they've died and come back. Too many times the entire universe disappeared and came back. (Or something like that. I don't want to know the details!) Too many times events in Super Person X have to be tied into Super Person Y in a completely different book just because the company dictates it.

I don't catch all the references in Black Hammer, but I do catch some. The story stands alone, at least so far. It is not my favorite series or anything. But I like it OK so far. (3 volumes)

Again, it is personal preference. If you like the DC or Marvel universes, you can have them!

Ed wrote: "Oh, I have liked some versions of SuperMan and BatMan. I just don't have interest in following the whole history of each."

That's the great thing about long running characters though. You don't have to know their entire history. There are plenty of fantastic standalone stories or runs.


Ed wrote: "I don't catch all the references in Black Hammer, but I do catch some. The story stands alone, at least so far. It is not my favorite series or anything. But I like it OK so far. (3 volumes)"

I take it you haven't read the many Black Hammer spinoffs. None of which are necessary but do flesh out the world some more.

Chad wrote: "I take it you haven't read the many Black Hammer spinoffs...."

I plan to read some when they are collected in a trade PB.

Tom wrote: "a hispanic Batman immediately reminds me of The Tick's Batmanuel...."

The Tick is fun. Probably inspired by some of the parody characters in Cerebus, such as "The Roach".

So it is only fitting that recently Dave Sim has created "Batvark!"

https://www.bleedingcool.com/2017/05/...

And don't forget Bat Boy !

Ed wrote: "Chad wrote: "I take it you haven't read the many Black Hammer spinoffs...."

I plan to read some when they are collected in a trade PB."
The first 3 have all been collected.
Sherlock Frankenstein
Doctor Star
Quantum Age

Chad wrote: "The first 3 have all been collected...."

Does the Sherlock Frankenstein collection contain "Cthu-Louise"?

Ed wrote: "Chad wrote: "The first 3 have all been collected...."

Does the Sherlock Frankenstein collection contain "Cthu-Louise"?"

No, but Cthu-Lou makes an appearance.