After reading issue #3, I think the new Batman and Robin series has the potential of being one of the best mainstream comic books to come out in a long time.However, my biggest disappointment is finding out that Frank Quitely will not be doing the interior art after issue three. Nothing against Philip Tan and Jonathan Glapion's artwork in any way. I just found Frank Quitely's style seemed to blend really well with Grant Morrison's writing. It had a more gritty, surreal feel to it that I thought worked really well in this nightmarish world Morrison had created for Batman and Robin.
My other disappointment was the fact that they killed off the Mr. Toad character after issue two. I thought this would have been a really great reoccurring villain for the new Batman and Robin. Kind of a creepier version of the campier villains like Tweedledum and Tweedledee and Mad Hatter that started to crop up more and more in the Batman comics after the Comics Code was put in place.
I suppose it's comic books and villains and heroes don't seem to stay dead for very long.
BUT I do like the new key villain Professor Pyg. He seems to be this deranged Mr. Joyboy style villain who despite horrifically disfiguring people seems to think he's doing nothing immoral.
And Grant Morrison is terrific at writing the dialogue for Pyg that is both very funny and incredibly disturbing. His rantings make absolutely no sense (at least to me) but that's what makes it work so well. His homicidal and bipolar rantings seem perfectly normal to him. Along with pig noises and squeals he makes in between.
Morrison had mentioned introducing a rogue gallery that was more along the lines of the 1950's comics and the 1960 television series but with a disturbing twist. And I think he's succeeded with that.
AND I was very happy they didn't have Dick Grayson wallowing in self pity about "Oooh! I can't handle the mantle of the Bat!" for this issue. Hopefully, they will stay away from that altogether because that can get tiring. And unlike the Azrael/Batman from the 1990's Knightfall storyline, I think the former Boy Wonder is really great as Batman.
Even though you have the sense that Bruce Wayne will probably return the moment the new Batman film goes in production, I don't mind Dick Grayson remaining Batman for a while.
I'm probably not going to get the single issues after #3. But I might pick up the trade paperback when it's out. The Batman and Robin series is definitely worth thumbing through at your local comic book store.
4 comments:
Quitely will continue on covers, and should return for issues 10-12 (the wrap up for Morrison's first year.)
Did you read their All Star Superman?
That's good that he'll be doing the covers. But I will miss his artwork for the interior art. It just fit the style of the stories so well.
I haven't read the Superman series. This is actually really the first mainstream superhero series I've read in a while.
But I think that was the first time I recognized his artwork. I like work that is out of the norm when it comes to mainstream comic books.
If you enjoyed the Batman and Robin, then I highly recommend the All Star Superman story. DC's already collected the twelve issues into two trades. It's among Morrison and Quitely's best work, and a very memorable Superman tale.
And, if you can find it, Flex Mentallo is well worth your time as well. I believe it's the first Morrison/Quitely collaboration.
Thank you very kindly for the recommendations!! I will definitely have to flip through both the next time I'm at my local comic book shop.
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