Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Matt's Weekly Comics - 11/14/12

[minor spoilers ahead]

I had to work today. I don't normally work on Wednesdays. So this is why this is up so late. And I'm chilling out on single-issue releases, to save $$$. Which is why there are only four. I wanted Punk Rock Jesus pretty bad, but my iTunes funds are like a dollar or so off. I'll get it within the next week, most likely talk about it in my piece for next week.

But yeah, let's do this.

I was pretty damn excited for Batman #14; so excited that I bought, downloaded and read it on my iPhone before I got home from school today.

This Joker arc isn't as mind-blowing as I expected it to be, at least going off of these first two issues, but it's definitely high-quality stuff. I really love how Greg Capullo draws the Joker: So much that it's probably my favorite aspect of this story so far. I really like Joker's plan centered around screwing around with Batman's psyche, trying to convince him that his allies drag him down and that cutting them off is the only way that he can be the king that the court jester expects.

A big part of the story seems to be based upon the possibility that the Joker knows the secret identities of the Bat-Family. This is a scary and tense idea, but it comes off as a little goofy to me: A three year-old could figure out these people's secret identities. I'm willing to suspend my disbelief, as often must be done in the realm of mainstream comics, but when you take a silly comic book trope and try to exploit it for legitimate suspense and fear, it doesn't work especially well.

Now, if the Joker mocks their ability to keep their identities secret as harshly as I did, I'll probably have to eat my words. But right now it's not treated lightly by anyone in the plot, and really, honestly, I think he's bluffing, anyway.

Now I actually enjoyed Batgirl #14 a whole hell of a lot. It's my favorite book I read out of my four this week. It is a very well-executed throwback to The Killing Joke and manages to surprise and satisfy from start to finish. It's creepy, fun, and exciting in its sheer quality.

The last page is the type of dark, twisted storytelling I'm disappointed that Snyder hasn't yet delivered with Joker. Hell, the quality of this issue trumps anything Snyder has done with Joker so far if you ask me.

I also read Batman and Robin #14, and it's a fun read. It's a simple Robin-saves-the-day story. He fights zombies and goes rogue and has some funny little quips. His dad ain't too fond of his rogue-going but a touching reveal at the end turns it around. Good stuff all-around. The art seems better than this book's usual, even.

And lastly Saga #7. Thank GOD this book is back. It's funny, sweet, gorgeous, dripping with creativity and just a very good thing.

There's also an amazing picture of a fully nude and fully grotesque monster that fills a page. It's probably the best thing ever. I giggle at the prospect of Vaughn telling Staples to draw all of this shit.

That's all. A week in which Batman is my least favorite [but still a very enjoyable!] read, and Saga isn't my favorite.

God works in mysterious ways.

UPDATE/EDIT: I feel like I didn’t properly explain my feelings on my problem with Joker possibly knowing the Bat Family’s secret identities. Let me try this again:

I think that the Bat Family does a pathetic job of keeping their identities a secret. And I’m not willing to entirely forgive things like this, I am willing to suspend my disbelief and forget about things like this in grandiose superhero stories, because these stories are too enjoyable in their complexity to get hung up on something like that. I am not, however, willing to suspend my disbelief so much that the prospect of Joker figuring out their identities is some impossible, impressive feat. Because it just isn’t. I’m not scared.

If the writing chose to be self-aware, and Joker toyed with the heroes and mocked them for how poorly they kept their identities a secret, I would have really enjoyed this idea. But as it stands, it’s treated like a massively big deal, and I find that goofy.

I still did really like this issue, guys, don’t get me wrong. My one issue with it is just very nuanced. I love Joker’s dialogue, I love the art, and the central theme about Batman’s allies possibly weighing him down is brilliant. I’m just not impressed by Joker figuring out their identities.

And I think he’s bluffing anyways.

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