Every artist has their own view on the Batman character but that's one of the things that makes comics such a unique art form in the realm of entertainment.
As for the initial question, what would I change...I'd like to see a return to the Batman & Robin dynamic. The adventures and stories that come from the interaction of these characters and how they accomplish their mission was what drew me to Batman as a kid. It should never be campy! I've always enjoyed reading about the darkness of Bruce and how he deals with his demons versus Robin (whether it be Dick or Tim) and how he handles his. The father-son relationship between the two and the brother relationship between Nightwing and Robin is also another strong point.
Batman is really about relationships and psychological responses to loss. As much as I love the fighting stuff, the strongest moments in the books come from the relationships between the characters with Batman in the center.
RE: Which elements of Batman would you change? -
Posted on 04-01-2006 12:25
You just summarized what the main bat-titles need to go back to. Sometime after No Man's Land (a story that really established the relationships between the characters) the writers forgot about this concept. Many fans scream that they want their Batman as a loner. Some people seem convinced that he should be the only one in Gotham.
Unfortunately the writers seem convinced that they have to make it that way before they can write a solo Batman story. It doesn't have to be that way. We can have just as much Batman by himself with Robin, Nightwing, and Batgirl in Gotham as with them in Bludhaven (or wherever). It isn't hard, you just leave them out of the story for the issue. The writers can't figure this out though. So the titles become Batman Team-up. I am really hoping that after things return to "normal" we can get creative teams on the bat-titles that are able to find the balance between Batman on his own and part of a family.
[steps off of soapbox]
RE: Which elements of Batman would you change? -
Posted on 04-01-2006 13:11
Exactly. All Star Batman & Robin the Boy Wonder is shaping up to be the book that we're hoping for. It may take the influence of Frank Miller and Jim Lee to get the continuity titles back on track. Right now they all seem to be just flashes of cool fight scenes without any real substance to the stories.
Batman is a saga and should be treated as such. That's what makes him not only a great character, but the most intriguing character in comics. He's not Superman or Spider-Man. He's a vengeful boy trapped in a man's body who surrounds himself with a surrogate family. It's great drama and largely untapped by the current creative staff.
RE: Which elements of Batman would you change? -
Posted on 04-01-2006 13:11
Thank you. I've been trying to figure out how to put it, and that was perfect. The Batman from NML, and even the animated series in a sense, had a family. A lot of those stories had Batman working solo, but none of them really eliminated of the rest of the team. The missing members simply weren't there for that particular mission - not dead, alienated, or driven off.
Thanks for the compliment and the link. Gotham Adventures was a great book. The animated series was excellent in the regard we've been talking about. It captured the darkness of Batman, staying true to Bob Kane's vision, but allowed for the zany villains and extended players in the Bat-universe to have screen time. Bruce Timm and his crew understood what the other characters mean to Batman. Bruce Wayne is dark and a loner but there is so much more there too. Bruce's life was stolen from him and he fights an endless battle to avenge that loss. Robin, Batgirl, Alfred, and Nightwing are all tragic figures in their own right but they represent Bruce's cry for family. He would never verbalize it that way but it's clear to anyone who understands the Batman mythology.
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