Despite the fact that I still think that “Batman Reborn” is a big stunt, I’ve been quite liberal when it comes to praising the monthlies since this whole thing kicked off back in June. Except for
RED ROBIN -- which I presently find unreadable right -- the Bat-monthlies have ranged from good to great.
(Quick tangent: All these Batman “fans” who say that dumping Bruce Wayne and replacing him with Dick Grayson as Batman was a great move and the Bat-comics have never been better are out of their F’n minds! Yes the stories and writing has been quality stuff, but no one is going to convince me that quality Batman stories can’t be written using the real Batman. This is, and always has been, a damn stunt. *sigh*)
Anyway, the tail the wags the Bat-dog at DC -- also known as Mrant Gorrison -- has slipped a bit in the second story arc of his BATMAN AND ROBIN. Frankly, the first one was badass, this new one is heading towards Suckville. (Yes, I've quite liked B&R and have said nothing but good things about it. Don't listen to F.J. DeSanto -- he spreads lies.)
Admittedly, I was geeked as hell at the end of issue #3 when the Red Hood showed up. I really, REALLY figured that Gorrison would conjure up some sort of kick-ass twist (or whatnot) when it came to the revelation of this Red Hood’s identity.
He did not.
The disclosure of exactly who is under “The Red Hood” was disappointingly predictable and damn lazy. Here’s hoping that Gorrison’s got more up his sleeve when it comes to The Red Hood and why he is who he is -- you know what I mean?
Also, I don’t give a damn about any alternate/reverse/anti-Batman and Robin. Here’s hoping that Mrant gives us all a reason to hate -- albeit care about -- this The Read Hood and Scarlett. So far, I’ve got zero interest in murderous B&R doppelgangers.
Oh yeah, I MUCH prefer Frank Quitely’s artwork -- for this title -- over Philip Tan. Look, dude can draw, but he’s just not capturing that “vibe” that BATMAN AND ROBIN had going with Quitely. It’s not that his stuff is bad, it’s just that I don’t feel that it properly captures or enhances Gorrison’s story.
Trust me, I’m not pulling against this title or Mrant, I promise. I’ve always thought (through all the “BATMAN, R.I.P.” and Omega Sanction stuff/nonsense) that Gorrison had a long term plan for The Dark Knight – the real one that is. I still do actually, but this issue is a certainly a head-scratcher.
Regardless, with these Gravedigger and Flamingo characters at hand, I’m figuring (hoping?) that this arc’s (and Grant Morrison’s) best is yet to come.
