POBB November 11, 2024

Pick of the Brown Bag

November 11, 2024

by

Ray Tate

Welcome to the Pick of the Brown Bag a comic book review blog by yours truly Ray Tate.  Writer Tom Taylor begins his run writing Batman in the latest issue of Detective Comics.  

Taylor’s been Batman’s director before.  

Batman: The Detective

ISBN-13: 9781779519870
ISBN-10: 1779519877

I heartily recommend that collection.  Click on the link for my in depth review.  The book may look like DC’s version of What If.   Instead, Batman in modern day London investigates an attack on two of his colleagues: The Knight and The Squire.  The art by Andy Kubert adds to the worth.

Taylor also refined his take on Batman when the detective frequently guest-starred in Nightwing.

Awwww…Dude…

In Detective Comics, Tom Taylor offers readers a fresh start.  Taylor demonstrates who the Batman is.

Batman is a haunted individual forever wondering if he could have changed things back in the day.  In a way, his behavior reflects the greatest of all detectives Sherlock Holmes.  

Holmes left to his own devices sought the needle.  He detested being bored.  Solving crime gave Holmes succor.  When Batman doesn’t have a crime to solve, he turns to his tragic past.

Thankfully, yet unfortunately, a crime distracts Batman.  Only, it’s not what one expects.

With this scene, Taylor draws on Batman’s hatred of guns.  The cowardly Joe Chill used a gun to murder his parents.  Ever since Batman reserves extra anger for those who commit crimes with guns.  He also doesn’t like to work with people who use them.  

Batman controls himself.  He slaps the baby criminal with his open hand.  That’s however not enough restraint in his opinion.  In fact Batman would have been better off slapping Sam harder.  Knocking him out.  Preventing him from running.  A forgivable error from the man who is ten steps ahead.  

Batman gives chase.

This scenario combines Batman’s role as protector and his unmatched knowledge of Gotham City.  It’s subtle.  Taylor makes every word count, informs yet makes it all sound natural.

Sam is quite dead.  With Sam’s death Taylor begins the main detective story.  Batman seeks out the White Musk Killer.  

Batman is rueful over his actions.  As well, he begins feeling the realities of age hampering his want to save innocent lives.

Batman’s age is always a touchy subject.  Historically, Batman’s eighty-five.  He’s perpetually thirty to forty in the comics.  I usually pin-point him at thirty-five in context.  Giving Batgirl a twenty-five on the index and Nightwing twenty-three.

Taylor has enough wiggle room in the subject of Batman’s age to generate a new theme in his story.  He does this by first introducing a new character into the mythology.

I sometimes simplify comic book narratives.  In this way, I can better review a book and immediately argue its worth to the reader.  Or the opposite.  Taylor’s narrative jumps around time.  Comic books being a visual medium are really good for writers using this technique.  You always know where you are in the story.  You can see it.  

When Batman as Bruce Wayne speaks Scarlett’s full name, he’s referring to the flashback Taylor and artist Mikel Janin unveiled earlier in the story.  The idea of a character speaking another character’s full name is usually, usually, a lazy device countering realism.  In this case, Batman likes to say Scarlett’s full name because she honors his mother.

 

Taylor portrays the Waynes as wonderful people.  

This fits the longstanding history that when Joe Chill ruthlessly slays them, Gotham City starts to rot.  The area where Chill kills the Waynes known historically as Park Place is renamed Crime Alley.  

Taylor creates comic book writing I like.  On the surface Taylor’s creation is as open and clean as the artwork by Mikel Janin.  So easy to read.  So simple to comprehend.  Within the apparent economy of storytelling lies recursive complexity.  

Some bit of characterization is important to the plot.  Some bit of plot is important to the characterization.  Continuity feels like history.

Scarlett apparently grew up to become a genius.  She now offers that genius to Bruce Wayne.

Alas…There’s a chance Scarlett’s the mysterious villain Batman faces in the book’s time out of joint opening.  

Back in the Bronze Age of Comics, Batman would on occasion lose an ear to an opponent.  He later turned them into welding torches for escapologist purposes.

Though I can’t help thinking that’s where my mind is supposed to travel.  The book is titled Detective Comics.  Taylor I expect is leading me to the dead end of a maze.

POBB September 12, 2022

Pick of the Brown Bag

September 12, 2022

by

Ray Tate

First let me apologize for the delay.  It took me awhile to get this post edited into something easily digestible.  I then survived being hit by a truck.  Not a scratch on me despite the horrendous state of my car in the aftermath.  I will sing the praises of the Mini-Cooper Clubman's safety features for the rest of my life.

In my final deep dive for Nightwing and Superman Son of Kal-El, not only will we be looking at the most recent issues but the way Tom Taylor replenishes the strength of DC's greatest asset, a shared multiverse of superheroes.  

As usual, should you need a quick thumbs up or thumbs down for the comic books, you can find me on Twitter: #PickoftheBrownBag.

The overall theme of Nightwing is that Dick Grayson is a good man.  That wasn't always the case.  

What a cry baby.  He should join the Republican Party.

In the New 52, Dick Grayson is a success story.  Scott Snyder was the main architect of the Batman Family at the beginning of the New 52.  Other writers followed the bread crumbs.  The result is a transformation, better still, a reclamation of Batman, Robin and Batgirl. 

Kyle Higgins, Benjamin Percy and now Tom Taylor in Nightwing all maintain an overall theme.  Batman became Dick Grayson's father.  Dick Grayson became a better man for it.

Taylor explicitly introduces the idea that Alfred contributed profoundly to their growth.  Fitting then that It's Alfred, slain in Tom King's impressive and recommended run of Batman, that catalyzes Dick Grayson's current actions.

Alfred bequeathed his fortune to Dick Grayson.  Dick takes a page from his adoptive father's book and becomes a philanthropist.  His first goal redeem Bludhaven.

ZUCCO?  The ZUCCO!  The Killer of the Flying Grayson!

  Family name, but Melinda is actually a spy in the House of Hate.

Bludhaven, created by Chuck Dixon, is a sister city of Gotham run by the political boss Blockbuster, who hates Dick Grayson more than his alter-ego.

Blockbuster and his cabal of lieutenants--which consist of the higher echelons of Bludhaven government--target Dick Grayson and his efforts to make Bludhaven a better place.  To that cause, Blockbuster hires a group of assassins.

Blockbuster however doesn't know Dick Grayson is secretly Nightwing.  And Nightwing has oodles of friends.

Taylor devotes two issues of Nightwing to bring in the Flash.  You've got zero chance to stop the Scarlet Speedster by conventional means.   

Keep your eye on the blur.  Because the Flash will appear in Superman Son of Kal-El.  Also written by Tom Taylor.  

Son of Kal-El exemplifies how Taylor utilizes the shared universe model.  If you've been following along Nightwing and Superman Son of Kal-El you know that these cameos root solidly out of previous plot lines.  

Anybody that appears in Nightwing can appear in Superman Son of Kal-El.  And visa-versa.  These guest stars go down a lot easier with the foreknowledge.  You can still enjoy either title without reading both, but it's more rewarding to think of the Flash's appearance as the result of a coffee chat between Dick and Wally rather than Superman seeking a favor from a fellow hero, who doesn't actually know him.

Fun Fact: Wally West is historically the first bona fide sidekick to join the Justice League.

That friend of a friend type technique also foreshadows the introduction of other Justice Leaguers.  One is a surprise.  So, I'll not spoil the party.

Classic Leaguers will take their places in the issue that properly introduces Supergirl cast member Dreamer to the DCU.

There's Kelex serving her tea.  Because, of course.  It's just perfect writing by Taylor.

Batman, practically a regular cast member in Son of Kal-El, and cover guest star Krypto clash yet again in the often hilarious issue twelve.

Ten Steps ahead of every person.  

A super-powered dog, not so much.

Krypto has always been and is more than the joke he could have been.  Krypto is simply inherently cool, and he doesn't act the part.  The secret to Krypto is that he's a really good hyper-intelligent dog.

Returning to earth, Krypto detects an underlying threat from the Lex Luthor/Henry Bendix axis of evil.

Krypto's senses lead to a fun Gordon/Yuzna styled tour-de-farce beautifully, or disgustingly, rendered by artists Cian Tormey, Ruairi Coleman, Scott Hanna, colorists Frederico Blee and Matt Herms.

Dick Grayson furthermore checks in this issue, and it's quite a different take.  We've never really seen Dick Grayson in a boardroom setting.  Bruce, sure.  Dick is usually in college, dropping out of college or being bullet shocked into amnesia.

You'll also note that Lex Luthor no longer possesses the knowledge he once did.  He doesn't know Batman and Bruce Wayne are one in the same.  He doesn't remember Dick Grayson being a pivotal part of Forever Evil.  These events presumably died with Lex's sort-lived hero status and Justice League membership, during some Big Event I never read.  

Taylor uses the secret identity to his advantage in storytelling.  A long time ago, murmurs among fandom and creative talent threatened the concept of secret identities.  

Frequently, Taylor finds something new or relishes traditional ideas to direct the secret identity as a cogent and potent plot device.  For example, KGBeast's men never would have kidnaped Barbara Gordon knowing she is Batgirl.

I see what you did there.

In Nightwing 92 through current issue 95, Dick Grayson plays his chess game against Blockbuster.  Now, Dick isn't a grandmaster like his father, but he makes some interesting moves.  Like taking a powerful knight off the board.

With the removal of the dirty Commissioner, an older more mature face from the Superman cast replaces Blockbuster's tool.

This, combined with Lady Siva's warning, in issue ninety-one weakens Blockbuster's position considerably.  

Dick makes his biggest move in issue ninety-five with the entire Batman Family and Titans backing his plays.

It should be the culmination of victory, but Taylor isn't done with Blockbuster yet.  There's still another chapter to be written, and it involves the concepts we've been discussing in this post.

Before that,  I'd be remiss in not spotlighting Taylor's playful writing for a scene involving Batwoman and Maggie Sawyer.

If you're like me, you're Nightwing.  Puzzled by the glacial mood between the two ladies.  See, I vaguely remember something between Batwoman and Maggie Sawyer, but I couldn't honestly tell you what it is.  

The truth is that I loathe Batwoman.  I think she has the personality of rebar.  I've seen her written well enough once in Scott Lobdell's Red Hood and the Outlaws.  That's it.  Boom. One time.

I genuinely liked the much more sensible Ruby Rose-Batwoman of the CW, and I liked the second Batwoman, Javica Leslie, who was coming into her own as a detective.  The Batwoman of the comic books is just another Batgirl substitute, existing solely because she's gay.  Maggie Sawyer created by John Byrne is a million times more interesting than Batwoman.  She started out that way and accumulated depth with every appearance.  Floriana Lima incidentally rocked when she portrayed Maggie on Supergirl.  The comic book Batwoman continues to be a flatline.  

Well, that's a wrap.  If you noticed, I was a little more forthcoming than usual, but honestly, as always, I told you absolutely nothing to spoil the entirety of the plotting.  I kept tons of elements under the hat.  So, if these hints tantalized you, imagine how exciting the actual books turn out to be.  They're probably all collected by now or soon will be.  So, if you haven't picked up the floppies, catch up with the trades.  Toodles.

POBB August 6, 2022

Pick of the Brown Bag

August 6, 2022

by

Ray Tate

Welcome to the second part of the Pick of the Brown Bag that explores the DCU that's evolving in issues of Batgirls, Nightwing and Superman Son of Kal-El.  

This exploration may be ginchy for some, but others may need to know a recommendation toot sweet.  For those fence sitters, you can still find me on twitter with some quick words about the books I review: #PickoftheBrownBag.  

Tom Taylor writes Nightwing and Superman Son of Kal-El.  So, it was a safe bet that they would crossover at some point, and so they do, frequently.  A Batgirl appearance also isn't uncommon.

And yes they finally get Babs' eye-color correct.

What you cannot predict is that Nightwing and Superman Son of Kal-El benefitting some of the best Batman appearances ever.

Awww...Dude

Superman Son of Kal-El #11

Taylor banks on the idea of Batman and Superman being the World's Finest team.  Now speaking in strict continuity terms, not just historical, which is way easier to identify, that always was the case. 

In the New 52 era, Geoff Johns and/or Grant Morrison revealed that Batman and Superman worked together as a team soon after the Justice League formed.  Greg Rucka in a done-in-one short story for a Wonder Woman Annual explained that Batman and Superman met Wonder Woman before they combined forces with the Flash, Aquaman, Cyborg and Green Lantern.  

Taylor commingles the histories of Superman, Superman Jr, Batman, Nightwing, Batgirl, Jonathan and Martha Kent and Lois Lane even more within the pages of Nightwing and Superman Son of Kal-El. 

Nightwing #89

He even thoughtfully explains how Jonathan Kent happens to be a teenager in a kind of reverse Grandfather Paradox that allows Lois Lane to be a perpetually youthful mother.  

Yeah, nobody read that. 

If you're wondering.  Lois is in her early thirties.  She's a contemporary of Batman and Superman.  Nightwing and Batgirl are about twenty-seven.  Jonathan Kent could be anywhere from twenty to twenty-two.  I reckon Jason Todd falls into that range as well.

When Jonathan Kent fails to save innocent lives, truly beyond his control, he turns to his holographic Dad for advice.  That simulacrum proves less than helpful.  Fortunately, Superman's robot, Kelex eavesdrops and turns to Nightwing.

Nightwing #89

Kelex, created by John Byrne, drifts in and out of the Superman titles, almost independently from the writer, but I think Taylor is the first to give Kelex a real personality.  

This meeting paves the way for the official Nightwing/Superman team-up pitting the heroes against a villainous two-for comprised of Lex Luthor and Henry Bendix.  Bendix is the ruler of the isle of Gamorra who superficially looks a lot like Lex Luthor.

You may vaguely remember those G and B names from T7, a latecomer to the New 52, that dealt with an eponymous group comprised of such luminaries as Dinah Drake, Amanda Waller, John Lynch, Slade Wilson, Steve Trevor and Cole Cash.

Lex and Bendix are screwing around with meta-humans to mind-control them and make them their mercenaries.  If they don't obey, well...

You may be asking yourself why would Lex Luthor do this.  The answer.  I don't know.  It's risky business playing Scanners with people.  Practically speaking, it's unprofitable.

One school at DC really wants Luthor to be a villain even if he's lost every motive that makes him want to kill Superman and/or the Superman Family.  

Superman Family #1

Usually when they want Lex to be a villain nowadays, they flex toward racism.  Lex just doesn't like aliens.  The earth is now full of them.  I've never seen him try to kill Starfire or the Hawks.  What about Power Girl and Huntress? They're technically aliens.

If you look at all the media portrayals of the villain, a definite motive drives Lex Luthor.  The comic book Lex however has everything the other Lexes don't: wealth, fame, power, women if he wants them.  So, I really don't buy Lex Luthor's villainy anymore.  He doesn't seem to have a rationale other than he's bored and wants to be a villain.  

My only thought about Lex in Superman Son of Kal-El is that he's more of a reflection of where we are today.  An autocrat that lacks a single redeeming quality and looks like an orange toad left in the sun too long can incite a murderous mob of acolytes to overthrow democracy and get away with it. 

What the fuck are you waiting for!

Lex Luthor can get in bed with Bendix on this scheme to put bombs in meta-human heads and get away with it.  

Whatever.   I'm not in this for the explosions.  For a change.  I'm in this for the amazing character moments, the comedy and the sweet, sweet artwork.

One of the themes that works extremely well in Nightwing and Superman Son of Kal-El is The Truth.  The Truth is an online guerrilla journalism project run by Jay, Superman's boyfriend. 

Chap with the Magenta Hair

Most writers portray Bruce Wayne as merely the weaker face of Batman who uses his persona to better his crimefighting.  To be sure, when writers do attempt to demonstrate Bruce's philanthropy, we seldom see the result.  Taylor emphasizes Nightwing's want to make the world a better place in tangible realistic ways.  

Nighwing #89

Nightwing decides to invest, keeping Jay and making Lois Lane the face of The Truth.   This makes perfect sense assuming something happened to The Daily Planet, as is frequent. 

Superman Son of Kal-El #9

Lois is the DCU reporter.  A Pulitzer winner and the wife of Superman senior.  Historically, every generation knows who Lois Lane is.  She permeated through radio, newspaper strips, serials, cartoons, television and movies.

Mind you.  Dan Jurgens reworked all of Superman's history to the point where Wonder Woman mid-wifed Lois and helped deliver Jonathan.  So we owe him a debt.

In Taylor's version of the shared worlds of DC, Lois is even more powerful a figure.  Lois is a confidant.  She knows every hero's secret identity and history through her marriage to Superman.  Let's see what happens when Lex attempts to promote a smear campaign against her son.  Again, no rationale.  Just a reflection of a "Fake News," spouting amoeba-brained cult leader.

Superman Son of Kal-El #10

Taylor emphasizes throughout Nightwing and Superman Son of Kal-El, that she and the other heroes are old friends.  She furthermore takes an active part in the work they do.

In the next installment, we'll see how Tom Taylor trades guest stars between Nightwing and Superman Son of Kal-El to strengthen the story and how this whole shebang is still a chess match between Lex Luthor and Batman.  That still doesn't explain Lex's villainy.  Sorry.