BATMAN #686
The comic cool backlash is one of utter stupidity and ultimately self defeating. Once we would hold these “Crazy” “Cool” unknown artists as a welcome breath of fresh air and revel in the nuance presented by such radical artists. Unfortunately, we’ve become a hyper aware society that criticizes everything and scrutinized the minute details presented in fiction, even when we would normally praise such works. It’s like your old fave band that’s now raking in piles of cash and therefore becomes deemed unworthy of attention due to their success. As did Grant Morrison’s recent bat-run in addition to Final Crisis, the unwashed masses of degenerates and pop-stars have decided to chime in their two cents upon once beloved creators, either praising them for no wrong, or rending their artistry to shreds (both I’m personally guilty of).
Batman #686, part one of Neil Gaiman and Andy Kubert’s “Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader” will not in fact cure your herpes, make the blind see, help you win the lottery, or make you more attractive to the opposite sex. What it will do is tell a fun, clever, and “bit of the old Superman wink” self aware without pretension story (or rather stories) about Batman. Gaiman pulls out a narrative style reminiscent of both his stories from Sandman “The Wake” and “The Worlds End”. Realistically, you cannot kill the Batman, you can however tell stories about his “Greatly Exaggerated Death” in an Baron Münchhausen- esque style respecting the myth, the character, and the pop culture legacy the character has endured.
As I said, it’s a fun read, from the Robin Hood-esque tale as told by a Selena Kyle, to the “Butler Did It” antics as told by a Alfred Pennyworth, Batman’s “funeral” is a narrative goldmine when throwing the rules out the window. Batman’s “stories” are all valid and have a number of inconsistencies, stylistic options, film and television, and 70 years and several thousand comics worth of history. With that what you end up with here is a lush dreamscape of story and reference to all Batman’s permutations, versions, and how he effected those around him, friend or foe.
The effect? One questionable to the masses as either “brilliant and satisfactory” or “utter crap”. Both answers are however wrong despite the truths that may linger beneath the surface of such comments. As for the fan who expects “Batman” to simply be placed in a pine box minus shenanigans more likely than not sites Frank Miller the architect of the modern Batman (He isn’t, Denny O’Neil is) that is ultimately “deadly” serious. To the fan who expects a “modern classic” on par with “Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?” will be disappointed due to the fact that Neil Gaiman isn’t Alan Moore, but then again Alan Moore isn’t Wil Eisner either.
What does this all mean? We as the “Fans” or whatever you want to call yourselves feel some sort of obligation to our cult fetish, the reading, storing and praising or bitching of said fetish items. Despite mainstream acceptance of our “heroes” upon gigantic screens, those people are not buying comics. Sure, there’s a sales spike in Batman, Iron Man, or even Captain Clownshoes when a movie rolls out, but it’s not bringing in a new audience. Ultimately, what does is comics not skewed at an audience, rather “art for art’s sake” of which is a dangerous proposition regarding corporate icons like Batman (at the end of the day you simply have to accept Batman is liken to Mickey Mouse and parent Co. WB and in house management are trying to make money off of T-Shirts and chachkies). It’s really rather surprising that creators like Morrison and Gaiman are even allowed to play with the Batman “toys” (Despite Arkham Asylum being one of the “greatest” Graphic Novels) considering these British kids took our jobs and turned third and forth tier characters into successful and praised series.
So, really if you chose to read “Whatever Happened to the Capped Crusader?”, remember going in “it’s only a story” (as most have, pushing it into an “out of continuity” mush place in their brain so they may enjoy it) and realistically it doesn’t ruin “Dark Knight Returns”, “Batman Begins” or even the recent “RIP” (though you can fit the story in very easily if you’ve been paying attention). It sets out to do one thing, take a look at a the life of a guy dressed like a bat entertaining us for 70 years, and give him a fun send off.
DC comics for 2/18/2009
DC
BATMAN AND THE OUTSIDERS: THE SNARE
BIRDS OF PREY #127
BLACK LIGHTNING: YEAR ONE #4 (OF 6)
THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD #22
DIANA PRINCE: WONDER WOMAN VOL. 4
JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #30
THE OUTSIDERS #15
ROBIN #183
SCOOBY-DOO #141
SUPERGIRL #38
SUPERMAN CHRONICLES VOL. 6
SUPERMAN/BATMAN #55
TANGENT: SUPERMAN’S REIGN #12 (OF 12)
TINY TITANS #13
TRINITY #38
VIGILANTE #3
VERTIGO
HELLBLAZER #252 (FEB-18)
MADAME XANADU #8 (FEB-18)
WILDSTORM
LOST BOYS: REIGN OF FROGS TPB
MYSTERIUS: THE UNFATHOMABLE #2 (OF 6)
STORMWATCH PHD #19
WORLD OF WARCRAFT #16
THE X-FILES #4 (OF 7)