| Batman Confidential 1-6 "Rules of Engagement" arc -
Posted on 06-12-2006 20:39 |
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Nate
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This thread is for the new comic title that was released today (12-06-06). All discussion, including reviews, of the comic, issues, news and its arcs will be done here. To start, here is my review to issue 1:
BATMAN CONFIDENTIAL #1
PLOT:
In this 6-issue tale, see exactly when Batman's war on evil in Gotham City ramped up ? and how he rose to meet the threat of Lex Luthor's plans to move in on both Bruce Wayne's and Batman's turf!
REVIEW:
While you could consider Superman Confidential a tie-in of sorts to Superman Returns, that can not be said about Batman Confidential. For one thing; if it was a tie-in of sorts to a Batman movie, specifically Batman Begins, its a little too late. All Star Batman & Robin, or the Dark Moon Rising stories would be considered Batman Begins tie-ins. Batman Confidential is here for something else: to go back to what Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight was when it started and this time to stay there. Just like Superman Confidential, and what LotDK was when it started back in '89, this title focuses on the early years of Batman's career. The only big difference between LotDK and Batman Confidential is that LotDK also did what-if Batman stories that would be considered elseworld tales. Batman Confidential will not do that.
The story is about how Batman and Bruce Wayne met Lex Luthor. In this issue, we are looking at Bruce Wayne/Batman a year after he put on the mask. So this would be after Monster Men/Mad Monk and before The Long Halloween. I don't know about Man who Laughs though. Anyway; at this point in Batman's life, he seems to be going more the insane road. He carries the gun that killed his parents in the cave and he says to Alfred that when he was chasing the hitman he felt like killing him. Now this is most likely because the hitman killed the mother and was about to do the same to her daughter, and anyone would feel the same. But when you add the Monster Men and Mad Monk stories, that he was believing his war on crime was gonna end and he was going to have a normal life, realizing he was not gonna having that must've set him off closer to the more insane path. As he says; "how can I expect a make a difference when all I do is moop up the bloodstains". As for the villian; Luthor only comes in at the final pages and what he only does is porpose robotic soldiers for war to a senator while Wayne himself porposes a more safer human-controlled robot. The same robot that has vaporized the hitman and has gone amok.
Now like Superman Confidential, when it comes to the early years, theres the talk of continuity. So far, it seems there haven't been any drastic changes to Batman's history. Well, there is a little think I'm questioning: Alfred. When we see Alfred in this issue, I noticed that he wasn't bald. His hair is shorter and it looks like that he is ABOUT to become bald, as sometimes the panels might show "openings" in his hair, but he still has hair. So theres the continuity as of issue one.
Overall, this was a nice issue. Unlike Superman, Batman doesn't seem to have any big drastic changes to his history. Although I should say he doesn't now, doesn't mean there won't be any later, if any. However, the art here bothered me a little. At the end, for some reason, Luthor and Bruce looked like they both had black eye make-up (like Batman in the movies) with their pupils only showing. That was weird. But besides that, this issue did set up the arc while it wasn't entirely reinforced until the last pages. So this was good.
RATING: 8/10
You don't get it, boy... this isn't a mudhole... it's an operating table.
(crack!)
And I'm the surgeon.
- Batman - The Dark Knight Returns
Edited by Nate on 12-07-2007 13:43 |
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| RE: Batman Confidential thread -
Posted on 07-12-2006 09:54 |
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kpangilinan
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One of the most important things in getting me interested in a comic is the art. I thought the cover looked cool but inside was just bleh. Bruce Wayne is supposed to be a good looking but they made him look aged. He looked too old to be someone who is in their mid 20s.
Story was interesting. I'll keep an eye on it. |
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| RE: Batman Confidential thread -
Posted on 08-12-2006 06:53 |
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JasterBull
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I think it's going in the right direction.
Yes I agree with the black eyes and bruce looking more like a grizzeled football player. (I think I could guess that he is Batman if I lived in Gotham) But I liked or should i say loved the opening. How dark they mad Batman look the FEAR he must bring to the badguys! I like the dark Batman the Batman that looks like Crime just ticks him off. I like the short little monolog he gave to the hit man as he had him dangling over the edge of the building. I say keep Batman dark and just on the edge of light. Keep him a bad azz and as long as I have done nothing bad then BRING ON THE BATMAN!!
Firefighter 143
I fight what you fear
Edited by JasterBull on 08-12-2006 06:54 |
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| RE: Batman Confidential thread -
Posted on 11-12-2006 08:48 |
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Darknight
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Finnally got around to this one. It was a pretty good issue. I have gotten so used to first issue stories barely touching on the overall story that it was almost a shock that this one covered so much of it. I have always been a fan of the potential rivalry between Luthor and Wayne so it is really cool to see that happening here. It's nice to see that they are acknowleding that it happened in the early days.
There is a very cool nod to Batman: Year Two with Bruce having stolen the gun that killed his parents from the police evidence room. Whether this is going to play into the plot or it was just to fit into the continuity of Year Two is yet to be seen. Although there is dialog with Bruce and Alfred that says that Bruce put on the maska little over a year ago.
The art in the Batman scenes was done very well, but things really fell short in the scenes without characters in masks. Bruce Wayne and Lex Luthor looked like zombies in some scenes.
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| RE: Batman Confidential thread -
Posted on 11-12-2006 14:13 |
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DavidG
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sounds like a great Issue can,t wait get it, it is going to be a great Batman Book. |
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| RE: Batman Confidential thread -
Posted on 17-01-2007 22:06 |
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Nate
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Sorry for being so late.
BATMAN CONFIDENTIAL #2
Writer-Andy Diggle
Penciller-Whilce Portacio
Inker-Richard Friend
Colorist-David Baron
Letterer-Travis Lanham
Cover Art-Whilce Portacio and Richard Friend
Editor-Mike Carlin
PLOT:
Its Batman versus Waynetech and Bruce Wayne's new technology of a robot goes haywire. And hows does this connect to Luthor?
REVIEW:
Just like Superman Confidential, Batman Confidential tells stories set in the early times of our favorite Dark Knight. The first part of "Rules of Engagement" was pretty good in my opinion. The first conflict between both billionaires, one a hero the other a villian, is interesting because you get feelings of what will happen later on as we know them by DCU history.
Unlike Superman in his Confidential book, Batman here knows what he needs to know about in situations. He's not on a learning curve like Superman kinda is with the weakness plotline. Batman has learned & studied so he can be prepared at times.
The big robot that was trashing thing at the end of the first issue continues here and thus starts up the mystery that connects to Luthor. Like I said, Batman knows what he needs to know. This robot is the property of his company so he has to. The only problem is that what he has, or doesn't have, can't hurt it. I always liked reading Batman's thoughts when he's in the situations like fightign this robot. But anyway, we find out the robot went on a rampage because the pilot itself was dead in its sensory deprivation cockpit. And it was later revealed that the pilot's mind was insdie the robot's memory complex. A ghost in the machine, as it were. Thus making this robot sabotage mystery into a murder mystery for Batman to figure out.
Thankfully not alot on 1-2 pages like last time, the weird eyes Luthor & Bruce had back in issue 1 only reoccur on Luthor in only panel. I just knew it was gonna come back. Thankfully, it was just one panel.
Overall, this was another good issue. The mystery that I thought was to be what this arc was gonna focus on has discontinued and now its been replaced by a murder mystery. While this issue did seem short compared to issue 1, it was still fun. I mean Batman was countering a robot!
RATING: 7.5/10
What's in store for next issue: Lex Luthor wants Gotham as much as he wants Metropolis and Batman is gonna meet with him face to face with his new Bat-Plane.
You don't get it, boy... this isn't a mudhole... it's an operating table.
(crack!)
And I'm the surgeon.
- Batman - The Dark Knight Returns
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| RE: Batman Confidential thread -
Posted on 15-02-2007 16:05 |
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real-dark-knight
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kpangilinan wrote:
One of the most important things in getting me interested in a comic is the art. I thought the cover looked cool but inside was just bleh. Bruce Wayne is supposed to be a good looking but they made him look aged. He looked too old to be someone who is in their mid 20s.
Story was interesting. I'll keep an eye on it.
I agree!
I started this last night (bit late, but there's only so much you can read).
It's just UGLY in places. It doesnt matter how good the story is, if you can't get your head round the art, it don't work.
Not mad on this...... |
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| RE: Batman Confidential thread -
Posted on 02-03-2007 13:54 |
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Nate
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Ignore this post.
You don't get it, boy... this isn't a mudhole... it's an operating table.
(crack!)
And I'm the surgeon.
- Batman - The Dark Knight Returns
Edited by Nate on 02-03-2007 13:55 |
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| RE: Batman Confidential thread -
Posted on 02-03-2007 13:54 |
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Nate
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BATMAN CONFIDENTIAL #3
Writer Andy Diggle
Art and Cover Whilce Portacio and Richard Friend
Editor Mark Carlin
PLOT:
The Bat-Plane is launched as Lex Luthor steps up his bid to own Gotham City like he does Metropolis. Luckily, Batman is bringing his own technological wonders to the battle against LexCorp!
REVIEW:
After the second issue, I felt that its been a while since that issue for the third one to come out. Even though its only been a couple weeks from when they usually released the first two. Luckily people like me still remember the book exists, so it wasn't forgotten.
After reading the third issue, I have this to say: if you haven't gotten this series yet, try it out. Just like "Last Son" part 3, the story kicks up here in this six-parter arc. Things move on like Batman getting the first BatPlane, Luthor setting Batman for murder, among other things.
In the first pages, we see Batman and in his head, going through the tactics of his when he's getting inside Luthor's building. The point here is that its his War on Crime, of course, but its presented like an actual war. When he talks about how he going to get inside, it makes it feel like a stealth mission. Same goes for the BatPlane. The Plane, while it doesn't really shine here though as it only appears in one page, fits with the War aspect. Its actually the Wayne prototype jet that Bruce's company was using against Luthor's company for the contract from the military. Which they lost. And also, the BatPlane technically takes the Batman Begins route as nothing is hardly altered from when Wayne Enterprises has to when Batman first uses it. It might because of the story, and that the design is "bat-like" anyway. But you obiviously know that if the TV catches it, like the Tumbler, those involved will say "I built that thing, so that means Bruce Wayne is Batman!"
In this issue, we get more of Luthor's side of things. Senator Crabtree is head of the board of directors who considers which of the two companies, of Wayne and Luthor, will get the contract. As we see from the scenes with Luthor, he has blackmailed the board to go with his design, which Crabtree knows about and decides to do his actions and not care about Luthor's. Which angers him, and frames him for murder. Which in turn, frames Batman. Now with the police giving Batman the title of "Public Enemy No. 1", I wonder if we're going to see the anti-Batman campaign. It'll be pretty sweet as when I said that, I'm thinking of the chase sequence in Mask of the Phantasm. That'll be really cool to see. Hey, we got six issues of this arc, its a possibility.
Maybe I wanted too because I guess I should say a bit about continuity with the DCU following Infinite Crisis. Luthor mentions that he's sick of yet another costume hero in his business. So that means Superman is the first, as we've thought for the longest time. Maybe not really worth mentioning, but I thought of pointing that out anyway. I guess the other thing to mention is the cover, the numbering that say "3 of 8". For those you question that, its a typo. A mistake. DC didn't announce earlier that the title was changed to ongoing to mini, so its a mistake. This is still an ongoing book.
Overall, this was another nice issue. Again, just like Action #846, the story kicks into high gear with this part. And if you haven't gotten this, get it. Or wait for the trade, just make note of it. The Confidential series here provides insight of the DCU that was changed. Well, at least I hope it does.
RATING: 7.5/10
Next Issue: Luthor lauches small robotic bats inside the batcave to fight off Batman!
You don't get it, boy... this isn't a mudhole... it's an operating table.
(crack!)
And I'm the surgeon.
- Batman - The Dark Knight Returns
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| RE: Batman Confidential thread -
Posted on 02-03-2007 15:56 |
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kpangilinan
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I picked this up the other day and I'm getting interested in the story so far. I can't wait to see what happens next.
I said Whilce Portacio's art was ugly but it got better in this issue. There's no more dark circles under the eyes. Although I'm still not a fan of Batman's cowl. I tried copying it last night and its too hard. |
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| RE: Batman Confidential thread -
Posted on 30-03-2007 14:26 |
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Nate
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Better late than never.
BATMAN CONFIDENTIAL #4
Written by Andy Diggle
Art and Cover by Whilce Portacio and Richard Friend
Edited by Mike Carlin
PLOT:
Lex Luthor has supplied his prototype G.I. Robot to the military — and only Batman knows there's a viper in the Pentagon's nest. But Lex Luthor knows as well, and attacks Batman in the Batcave to prevent being exposed!
REVIEW:
After the third issue, the telling of Batman's first confrontation with Lex Luthor took an unexpected turn with one I did not expect with the small bat robot Luthor sends to find Batman. This was unexpected. But the rest of the story was good enough that I didn't care. Off to issue 4.
I'm doing this review following my second read. The first time I read it, it felt off. Like either the issue started to show something negetive or if it was me losing interest. After I read it a second time, I realized that it was just something I needed to read a second time. This issue is actually good, so its not like it took a bad, negetive turn all of a sudden.
One of the highlights in this issue was the battle within the batcave. You may think that a small bat robot would be so easy to fight and you may have a point. But, this bat robot has the ability to control other machines. Which makes the fight a little harder. If there was anything not enjoyable to see: it was Batman falling on dirt, mud, and bat poop on the bottom of the cave. I know, must be a first. But Alfred saves the day, and delivers a good funny moment at the end. Good olde Alfred.
Overall, this was still a good issue, even though I had to read it twice. I think the main reason why I was turned off at first was because of the art. I was holding off the art for three issues, and it seem to take its toll on me. So it was still good. I'am very interested to see how the arc will conclude, as we have two more parts to go, as the confrontation between Batman and Lex Luthor is taking a sci-fi turn.
RATING: 7.5/10
Next Issue: Batman vs. the G.I's, who are robots in every way.
You don't get it, boy... this isn't a mudhole... it's an operating table.
(crack!)
And I'm the surgeon.
- Batman - The Dark Knight Returns
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| RE: Batman Confidential thread -
Posted on 30-03-2007 15:52 |
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spencer1984
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The whole series feels a little "off," but not necessarily in a bad way. Just odd. Kind of like well-written fan fiction.
Regardless, I'm enjoying it so far.
The complete history of the Batmobile: BatmobileHistory.com
Scale models of Batmobiles & more: spencer1984.com |
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| RE: Batman Confidential thread -
Posted on 30-03-2007 19:00 |
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real-dark-knight
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I just wish every picture of Bruce/Batman didn't make him out to be some sort of giant rat. Check out the teeth - no-one looks like that except rodents.
I've got to say - despite my concerns about the art - the story is very good! |
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| RE: Batman Confidential thread -
Posted on 30-03-2007 20:05 |
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Nate
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Y'know, thanks for replying on this review. But I did do other reviews which you guys didn't check.
You don't get it, boy... this isn't a mudhole... it's an operating table.
(crack!)
And I'm the surgeon.
- Batman - The Dark Knight Returns
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| RE: Batman Confidential thread -
Posted on 01-04-2007 01:16 |
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spencer1984
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"Didn't reply" isn't the same as "didn't check" 
The complete history of the Batmobile: BatmobileHistory.com
Scale models of Batmobiles & more: spencer1984.com |
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| RE: Batman Confidential thread -
Posted on 02-04-2007 09:22 |
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Darknight
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I am relatively close to dropping this title. I just can't get into the story. That is probably because there really has been no story. It would seem that they could have taken 4 issues of content and put it into one.
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| RE: Batman Confidential thread -
Posted on 02-04-2007 12:43 |
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real-dark-knight
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Darknight wrote:
I am relatively close to dropping this title. I just can't get into the story. That is probably because there really has been no story. It would seem that they could have taken 4 issues of content and put it into one.
Don't you find it painful when you're 4 issues in, you've got them all, but you come to the conclusion you don't like it!? I know I do!!
Whenever I see something new that I might be interested in, I try and read a few pages in the comic shop to see if I'm gonna like it. It doesnt always work though...
That aside, I'm cool with the story, it's the art (mainly of Batman himself) I'm really struggling with. |
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| RE: Batman Confidential thread -
Posted on 02-04-2007 14:35 |
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Darknight
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I give pretty much anything Batman a few issues. It won't be the first ongoing that I drop, but I am going to give it through #5.
I try not to read things in the comic shop. I have a really good relationship with the owner (got death of Captain America for cover when he was charging around double to most people), so I don't want to hurt that.
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| RE: Batman Confidential thread -
Posted on 02-04-2007 15:12 |
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real-dark-knight
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Fortunately I'm very close to Forbidden Planet's flagship store, which is 2 big floors of comics/star wars/Dr Who/Batman heaven - and so busy that no-one ever notices if you fancy a little read! |
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| RE: Batman Confidential thread -
Posted on 26-04-2007 16:32 |
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real-dark-knight
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I like the cover for issue 5! |
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