DC Comics announces that the next four issues of BATMAN will have a change of contents, with the 4-part story ?Grotesk,? written by John Ostrander and illustrated by Tom Mandrake moving up an issue to begin in BATMAN #659.

Each of these issues will keep their original Diamond item codes and instore dates.

Regular series writer Grant Morrison will return in February with BATMAN #663, featuring the story previously scheduled to appear in BATMAN #659, illustrated by guest artist John Van Fleet.

? BATMAN #659 (SEP060191), featuring part one of the 4-part story ?Grotesk,? is scheduled to arrive in stores on November 29.

? BATMAN #660 (OCT060154), featuring part two of ?Grotesk,? is scheduled to arrive in stores on December 13.

? BATMAN #661 (OCT060155), featuring part three of ?Grotesk,? is scheduled to arrive in stores on December 27.

? BATMAN #662 (NOV060174), featuring part four of ?Grotesk,? is scheduled to arrive in stores on January 10.

Writer Grant Morrison returns in February with BATMAN #663 (DEC060180), illustrated by guest artist John Van Fleet. In this issue, the Joker makes his triumphant return to Gotham City to take revenge on Batman! BATMAN #663 will be solicited in the December Previews (Volume XVI #12) and is scheduled to arrive in stores on February 14.

Because of these changes, DC will make BATMAN #659-662 returnable at a later date.

BornAgainBatman wrote:
Wait!
Batman has a son??

Nate wrote:
This thread will be about Grant Morrison's resumed run on Batman following "Batman & Son" and "Grotesk" that followed.

BATMAN #663

PLOT:
After the shocking events of BATMAN #655, in which the Joker was shot point-blank in the face, the Clown Prince of Crime makes his triumphant return to Gotham to wreak havoc on the city and take his revenge on Batman! And as citizens of Gotham City will soon discover, the Joker's reappearance is no laughing matter.

Written by Grant Morrison
Art by John Van Fleet
Cover by Andy Kubert

REVIEW:
Following "Batman & Son", the original issue featuring Grant Morrison was suppose to be released as #659 was replaced at the last mintue with the first part of the Grotesk 4-parter. At first I was disappointed because I wanted to see this issue as this is, in fact, the final part of the "Batman & Son" arc. But the Grotesk issues turned out to be good and I cooled down, let's say. Now as #663, we finally get this issue.

The point behind this issue goes back to the questionable beginning of "Batman & Son" part 1 in #655 where the Joker was shot in the head by the impostor Batman but was laughing still. This issue sheds some light over that subject. But that's not the only thing about this issue, this issue isn't really in a comic book sense. Its actually reading, like a novel. Of course you still get pictures but its like a book and not a comic book. See what I mean?

It?s not like I don't read actual books. I do, and still do, the recent one was "It's Superman". Okay, a novel based on a comic book character. What do you want from me? At first when I was reading it was a little confusing. The issue is in chapters with each having 2-3 pages. In the chapter one pages, it got a little confusing as whether or not I was reading some sort of fairy tale or was it an inside of Joker's mind, because we were dealing with killer clowns at a cemetery. But the confusion was lifted when in the chapter two pages where Batman said that there was a gang posing as clowns killing people, using Joker as an inspiration (think The Jokerz from Batman Beyond, but more creepier, all of them men). To put it simply, the parts where Joker or Batman is in them are easy to read. But the rest has alot of detail and requires you to make sure to read it all.

It's revealed what had happened to the Joker after #655: because he was shot in the head and still lived, he's brain damaged. Since then he's been seeing a speech therapist and has had alot of surgery and in turn has trauma because of it. Bandages all over his head and when Batman tries to talk to him, the teeth opens repeatly and his eyes blink like birds do. But that is just a tease, as the blinking he's doing is actually mose code, and Batman knows Joker knows what he's doing. Whatw as very intresting was that since we're in a novel sense, we're given the inside of Joker that comics hardly don't do. The insanity inside this psycho shows that in his mind; everything is funny like reading off a card that says "blind babies" and trying so hard not to laugh as it might blow his cover. As well as showing that Joker gives death to anyone and anything. As, by not doing anything but staring, a bug goes on his hand and then falls off, dying.

Overall, this was a very interesting issue by Morrison. The fear I had, among the fears I always have, after the preview of this issue disappeared once I got into it. Also, this whole issue rings the bell to another great Batman book: Arkham Asylum; Serious Home for Serious Earth. While the writing reminded me of that book, it was the art that got me. Plus Batman references what the doctor said in that book about the Joker, having several personas every year or five years and never having his own. It was a good way to reference both stories, both by Grant Morrison by the way. So now, the Joker is back and much more terrifying. So terrifying that Harley Quinn was scared of him this time. Morrison did a good job.

RATING: 8/10

Next issue: Grant Morrison resumes his run as a revealed cover-up could change the relationship between Batman and the police as an investigation into police corruption leads to a terrifying confrontation with a monstrous menace that threatens to end Batman's career!

BornAgainBatman wrote:
Ok, I brought the Batman and Son Tradeback and it has 7 parts.
The ending of Part 6 shows batman kissing that supermodel chick and Talia knows about them and the end. Part 7 shows batman is dead and His son is the new batman. i was so lost here, Anybody want to explain to me what I miss between 665 and 666?
So i go and look for 667 and i also see 668, and im end up more confuse. whats going on here?