Posts: 1099 Location: Cheektowaga, NY Joined: 29.07.05
by Nathaniel Ruff (aka Binker on the forums)
ALL STAR BATMAN & ROBIN, THE BOY WONDER #8
Written by Frank Miller
Art and Cover by Jim Lee and Scott Williams
Variant wraparound cover by Miller
Edited by Bob Schreck
PLOT:
Part 1 of Frank Miller's and Jim Lee's two-fisted thrill ride ends here, yet it's only just begun! The Dark Knight links a brutal psychopath to the Flying Grayson's murder, and the streets of Gotham run red with terror! Dick Grayson is reborn to wage war on crime! The newly banded Justice League fans out, trying to catch a bat!
REVIEW:
While it might have seemed to be a long while since #7, it was actually two months since #7 that we now have #8. Still bi-monthly. Last issue was okay, all because I felt it could have been in #6 because of its continuation storyline. I just felt that way. ASB&R's Black Canary was changed for me; more than some woman who enjoyed beating the crap out of men she got ticked off from, but someone who saw something in Batman that made her say that he should...talk than fight. Last issue also revealed that Joker ordered the hit on the Graysons, and I remembered when the series started that fans wondered what Miller's Joker would be like if Miller's Batman was similar. Now, here is #8.
As stated in the solicits; this is part 1 of the finale, and it does feel like it is too. For this issue, we have Joker (I'll get to him), appearances by Catwoman, no Justice League but Green Lantern appears, more of Miller's Batman and Grayson in costume (sorta). Like the tank Batmobile in #4, we get another element from DKR in the form of the woman (maybe man if I remember right) known for having the Nazi-logoed boobies. Catwoman...looks good in that outfit, like she wouldn't. Like Year One, you can see that it is obvious she the same cat-loving prostitute/dominatrix (she points out "I don't play that rough" who was inspired to become a costumed cat burglar when she saw Batman in action. Jim Lee doing this costume; the classic purple outfit with the tail, she looks that good. And with Green Lantern; there was a nice moment with him eating a hot dog while having his ring used as a "Lantern signal". So basically, this was a good read.
So now, let's talk about ASB&R's Joker. As I said; people were wondering how the Joker would be like if this Batman was this crazy in the series. Well we have out answer, and to tell you the truth, it looks like we could've reread DKR if we were wondering about this. Joker here does not laugh, he's actually quiet, considers himself unfunny, and maybe making him as real as real psychos go; he kills for pleasure as he describes like a textbook how he murders the woman he sees. By the way; he has a tattoo of a dragon covering his back. Wasn't expecting that, were ya? And that the last scene where he meets Catwoman, wanting to “play”: let's where that will go to, huh?
Overall, this issue was pretty nice. Since #4, maybe #5, this series is starting to get better. We hated the delays, but it looks like it was worth it if it meant rewriting this if that's what Miller did. Part 1 of the finale, as the solicits say, and I believe it for that's the feeling I got. I mean think about it; Joker is here, revealed as the man who ordered the Grayson killings, Grayson is in costume and is given the name Robin ("helped" by Batman), and we have Catwoman, and we have the Justice League not too far if GL is here. I laugh when Batman called Green Lantern things like "retarded demigod", "moron", and "worse than Kent". Cool read overall, can't wait for the next one!
RATING: Yay
Next Issue: Batman & Robin take Green Lantern back to school!
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
I felt the Joker was pretty scary here. His lack of laughter and more composed gave him a more menacing feeling. He was probably the most sane insane serial killer.
"I love you. In my own special way." Yeah, that's definitly creepy.
It seems the story is picking up a little more which is great. I'm still looking forward to the next issue. Not so much for the story but Jim Lee's excellent art.
RE: All Star Batman & Robin; The Boy Wonder #8 REVIEW -
Posted on 05-12-2007 12:15
Either I'm getting used to the writing, or it's getting better. It didn't seem to have the dragging quality of the first couple issues, and Batman seems to have been toned down a bit. An overall good read.
It got better, there was a better pace than previous issues. Things flowed a little more quickly than usual. And there was no mention of the " Batman."
RE: All Star Batman & Robin; The Boy Wonder REVIEW THREAD (Starting with #8) -
Posted on 28-02-2008 12:26
I picked up issue 9 today. The portions with Green Lantern were pretty funny, painting the entire room and themselves yellow and serving lemonade. Although I don't like how Hal Jordan hasn't been portrayed as intelligent. When he was nearly beaten to death by Robin, that was a little hard to believe. My favorite moment though was at the end. It was very touching. I think it made Batman realize he's been a little too hard on Dick Grayson.
RE: All Star Batman & Robin; The Boy Wonder REVIEW THREAD (Starting with #8) -
Posted on 28-02-2008 16:17
Posts: 1099 Location: Cheektowaga, NY Joined: 29.07.05
by Nathaniel Ruff (aka Binker on the forums)
ALL STAR BATMAN & ROBIN, THE BOY WONDER #9
Written by Frank Miller
Art and Cover by Jim Lee and Scott Williams
Variant wraparound cover by Adams
Edited by Bob Schreck
PLOT:
The Dynamic Duo: yellow-bellied? Green Lantern tries to convince Batman and Robin to fall in line, but the pair takes him to school…in color theory!
REVIEW:
Back in November, with #8, that issue was very nice. It was due to the fact that since either issues #4 or #5, this series started to get better. I'm not complaining anymore on the delays: for it's a given for comic books, and if it means it help Miller to rewrite this then I'm for it. As a part 1 to the finale, Joker was quiet and scary, and the lead up between him and Batman will be interesting since Batman is more of a lunatic in this universe. Dick Grayson is finally Robin, and we have Catwoman in her role similar to Batman: Year One, also by Miller. So here is #9!
The first word to describe this issue would have to be "weird". I don't know which category to put it under, whether it be funny weird or stupid weird. In this issue, most of it is on Batman & Robin talking to Green Lantern. Now, while that is fine, they talk to him in a yellow room, where EVERYTHING is yellow, wearing yellow versions of their costumes, and wearing yellow paint. It's kinda funny, yes, but then you feel the sense of "what the---that's stupid." See? Weird.
I guess I should go to the whole talk Batman and Green Lantern had in this issue. Batman, Frank Miller's Batman, is presented here in the same way he has been since this series started. But, for me, this is similar to hoe he was written in #2. Yes, he is a jerk in every sense of the word. But there is a point in the story where he moves away from that into something that is better, maybe somewhat like the main DCU Batman. Most of the issue, talking to Green Lantern, Batman is a jerk, and so is Robin (quickly learned, as Batman points out). Making fun of Green Lantern, his power ring because of its weakness of yellow, making fun of the Guardians for making the ring with a yellow weakness, even making fun of the JLA like calling Wonder Woman the "wicked witch of lesbos island" (oh boy), all of that. But after Robin accidentally injures Green Lantern that almost kills him, Batman from that point on isn't a jerk anymore. Now of course, jerk or not, he wouldn't let anyone dead. But from that point to the end of the issue, he becomes sorrowful and caring. When he and Robin go to the cemetery for Dick to say goodbye to his parents, both Batman & Robin hug each other. As Batman narrates "We mourn lives lost. Including our own." So Batman isn't as much of a jerk as we thought he is, even though this was shown back in #2.
Also, Batman says the line that Superman talked about in his narration in DKR. More proving that ASB&R is a prequel to DKR.
Overall, this issue was fine. It was weird because of Batman's idea to make everything yellow in order to talk to Green Lantern, which is either funny weird or stupid weird, all depending on how you look at it. Maybe this less jerk Batman serves as some sort of salvation to our ASB&R Batman. Even though, again, this was shown back in #2. Now I'm giving this a Yay, only because I found no problem with it at the end. That's how I feel.
RATING: Yay
Next Issue: Batgirl, Catwoman, Black Canary, and even Detective Gordon's better half give Gotham a headache so big it'll split the city in two!
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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who was inspired to become a costumed cat burglar when she saw Batman in action. Jim Lee doing this costume; the classic purple outfit with the tail, she looks that good. And with Green Lantern; there was a nice moment with him eating a hot dog while having his ring used as a "Lantern signal". So basically, this was a good read.
