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The Official Batman / Detective Comics Collecting Thread

Started by Mac Man,

146 posts in this topic

Mac Man

Mac Man

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I did a quick search and didn't see any discussion threads dedicated solely to Batman in the 1980s to the early 1990s. SO, I figured I would start one! Frankly, I think this is a fantastic period for Batman fans as it follows on the heels of the beloved Bronze Age of Neal Adams that truly resurrected this character. Let's face it: the Silver Age was NOT kind to Batman. So, with creators like Frank Miller, Denny O'Neil, Brian Bolland, Doug Moench, Jim Aparo, Norm Breyfogle, Kelley Jones, and others... well, Batman continued to kick butt.

 

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Right now, I just finished reading "The Cult," and I'm slightly embarrassed to admit that this was my first reading of the must-read story mini-series. Overall, I'd probably rate it a 7.5 / 10.

 

The art was solid as can be expected out of Bernie Wrightson. The storyline was good at times but I felt like it spiraled out of the writer's control by the end as he tried to make it far more epic than it needed to be. I liked the idea of putting Batman through such a traumatic, and perhaps humbling experience of being broken by the Reverend. Further, I felt the idea of cleansing the streets of Gotham by fighting fire with fire... and perhaps initially appearing even more effective than Batman's efforts might've influenced Jason Todd later on in the Red Hood series (watched "Under the Red Hood" but need to read the individual issues). I think the storyline loses some of it's punch is when the aim is no longer fighting the criminal element but merely supplanting it and the city government.

 

The "jumping of the shark" probably was most pronounced with the Bat-Monster Truck making it's way into Gotham; however, I'd suggest the notion that the National Guard's inability to handle the situation would have called other superheroes to the scene--their absence was a pretty glaring inconsistency as well considering Batman's public disappearance throughout the majority of this ordeal.

 

Anyhow, not a bad read by any means and I do believe this is a must-read as it gives readers a little snap-shot glimpse into Batman / Bruce Wayne's psyche. Further, I think it gives a much-needed "+" to the much-maligned Jason Todd-Robin (who I still love getting killed off in Batman 426-29). And I do see much of the same "fight fire with fire" mentality in Jason-Red Hood from "Under the Red Hood" here, so even if this episode in his life isn't mentioned, it doesn't preclude it having been an influence in who he'd later become.

 

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So yeah, what are you reading from the 1980s-90s? What's new in your collection?

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Mac Man

Mac Man

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Oh my.

 

lol What? We have threads for discussing all of the other major titles and I was surprised not to see one dedicated to Batman! Aaaaand since I just finished reading "The Cult," I figured I'd start off with that story arc (even if it isn't proper Batman/Tec).

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RockMyAmadeus

RockMyAmadeus

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Oh my.

 

lol What? We have threads for discussing all of the other major titles and I was surprised not to see one dedicated to Batman! Aaaaand since I just finished reading "The Cult," I figured I'd start off with that story arc (even if it isn't proper Batman/Tec).

 

Oh, no, you misunderstand my uber short missive.

 

Have you not read my spirited defense of DITF as the most iconic Bat covers of the past 35 years..?

 

;)

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Mac Man

Mac Man

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In my opinion...and I can say this without bias, since I wasn't there (well..mostly)....but the period from Dark Knight Returns #1 to Batman #442 was the single greatest period in Batman's history.

 

:cloud9:

 

I'm going to :baiting: you to stretch that ought to include the Knightfall series....

 

But I won't argue. SO much nostalgia wrapped up with those books. :cloud9: In fact, I'm just getting ready to begin rereading the post-Death in the family Batman issues. I particularly liked the KGBeast--very cool bad guy. :)

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RockMyAmadeus

RockMyAmadeus

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In my opinion...and I can say this without bias, since I wasn't there (well..mostly)....but the period from Dark Knight Returns #1 to Batman #442 was the single greatest period in Batman's history.

 

:cloud9:

 

I'm going to :baiting: you to stretch that ought to include the Knightfall series....

 

But I won't argue. SO much nostalgia wrapped up with those books. :cloud9: In fact, I'm just getting ready to begin rereading the post-Death in the family Batman issues. I particularly liked the KGBeast--very cool bad guy. :)

 

Nah...I can't go all the way to Knightfall. After Lonely Place, it just got....average, for a long time. It was sad. It got pretty plain...at least compared to what immediately preceded it....until Azrael appeared in 1992.

 

The sad thing is, my first brand new off the newsstand book was #444. Sigh.

 

Sure, Legends was pretty good, and Detective with Breyfogle was outstanding, but...meh. They'd lost the magic. Brief glimpse of it again with the new Robin costume and the mini, but up until Sword of Az, it was pretty much plain ol' plain ol'.

 

The magic that was the Bat family from April 1986 to December 1989....it just can't be described. DK, Batman #400, Barr/Davis/Neary on 'Tec, Year One, Year Two, Ten Nights, Cult, Killing Joke, DITF...it was just one hit after the other after the other, knocking them out of the park.

 

Even the mediocre stuff is magic. Tec #586, with the ratcatcher...? Unbelievable stuff. 'Tec #568, the Legends crossover? Magic. Batman #416, with and Jason hanging out? Awesome.

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Zonker

Zonker

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Interesting thread.

 

I'm a :preach: but to me, the Jason Todd period was just about the nadir of post-1960s Batman. Mike W. Barr's, Jim Starlin's, Doug Moench's takes on the character just didn't do anything for me. I can respect the Breyfogle period... but for me the increasingly psycho approach to the character following Death in the Family just didn't match the Batman I grew up with. And as we all understand, its all about me. :acclaim:

 

But what's really interesting to me is the idea that you really like the books that shortly preceeded your entry. Same with me. I starting regularly buying books in the mid-1970s, but what I really like are the books I just missed, i.e. the Neal Adams books of 1970-1973. And I judged the later books by how closely they corresponded to the spirit of my just-missed "Golden Age."

 

So how common is that for the rest of you? Are the books you like the ones that most match your current sensibilities (regardless of when they were printed)? Or is it based on nostalgia for the exact books you had at some certain age? Or is it the case that you're fond of something that appealed to your older siblings, or that you just missed for whatever reason at some point in your life, and are therefore always cool, almost out of reach, your holy grails? hm

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Boozad

Boozad

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Doug Moench's takes on the character just didn't do anything for me.

 

I loved Moench's run on Batman, the work up to and including Knightfall was energetic and very well written, and there were some fantasic self-contained two issue storylines as the book moved into the Modern era around '95. I thought he told a solid story and he was graced with some bloody good artists to bring it all to life.

 

I'm going to have to go back and read them all now :cloud9:

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Mac Man

Mac Man

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Interesting thread.

 

I'm a :preach: but to me, the Jason Todd period was just about the nadir of post-1960s Batman. Mike W. Barr's, Jim Starlin's, Doug Moench's takes on the character just didn't do anything for me. I can respect the Breyfogle period... but for me the increasingly psycho approach to the character following Death in the Family just didn't match the Batman I grew up with. And as we all understand, its all about me. :acclaim:

 

But what's really interesting to me is the idea that you really like the books that shortly preceeded your entry. Same with me. I starting regularly buying books in the mid-1970s, but what I really like are the books I just missed, i.e. the Neal Adams books of 1970-1973. And I judged the later books by how closely they corresponded to the spirit of my just-missed "Golden Age."

 

So how common is that for the rest of you? Are the books you like the ones that most match your current sensibilities (regardless of when they were printed)? Or is it based on nostalgia for the exact books you had at some certain age? Or is it the case that you're fond of something that appealed to your older siblings, or that you just missed for whatever reason at some point in your life, and are therefore always cool, almost out of reach, your holy grails? hm

 

For me, the Batman books I love the most are those I grew up with; they're the ones I went back and purchased when I got back into collecting. 80s and early 90s are just heaven for me when it comes to reading.

 

And RMA--we can agree to disagree on the minor points as we're pretty much on the level otherwise. Absolutely wonderful time to collect and read comics!

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Mac Man

Mac Man

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Sorry Pat--I was away over the Christmas holiday, and while I was doing some Batman reading, it wasn't CA stuff :(

 

(Dark Victory by Loeb and Sale--loved it!)

 

Next up on my reading list is another "Other World" entry: Bloodstorm!

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Old Fashion PB and J

Old Fashion PB and J

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So yesterday I read Detectives 626,628,631. I actually enjoyed them all. I wish I had all of them as they were split stotylines, but I wanted to really test out the writing. It was done well, and not half as bad as reading SA stuff. I really like this era as there is alot of building of Tim Drakes character who I really like anyways. I have a few more sitting, alot of Knightfall stuff. Look forward to reading what I have.

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