CBD 01/27/2010

Batman and Robin, Detective Comics, Kick-Ass

Batman and Robin #7 (Grant Morrison, Cameron Stewart) - I am still enjoying this series. This issue wasn't one I liked at first. I had to warm up to it a bit and re-read it, but it was good, almost fun even, comics. I am not a blackest night sort of comics person for the most part. This comic has DickBat taking CorpseBat to a Lazarus Pit in England. It also has some fun British gang war stuff, and Squire and the Knight... and BatWoman, who just sort of poofs there. It's pretty fun stuff in a pure superhero comic kind of way, with just a bit of the modern gloominess thrown in, as it does involve trying to make CorpseBat into LiveBat again, and Damien, the current Robin and BatSon apparently in a healing tank getting a new spine.

Detective Comics #861 - We get some Batman in this issue, as well as a new and grizzly badguy who looks like Max Headroom with knives stuck all over his suit. He looks pretty stupid, but he is pretty tough and awful. The art in this issue is by Jock, and Jock's art is very good, but it isn't even close to the bar that JH Williams has set for this title. This may be my favorite superhero title right now that isn't Tiny Titans. The Question backup feature has also been good, and is particularly good in this issue, while not exactly blazing new trails.

Kick-Ass #8 - I am still fully on the fence about this series. I guess I like it. I don't love a lot of things Millar is inclined to do regularly, but I have certainly enjoyed his writing in the past. I think the writing in this, the concept, the premise, and the aspirations it has, are all overblown and perhaps even irresponsible. It's a comic that was born to be a movie and it involves regular kids dressing up as super heroes, taking drugs, brutally murdering and being horribly physically abused. A father raises his young daughter to kill and gives her weapons and instructs her to use drugs. The main character has his body beaten and broken severely and keeps coming back. I enjoyed the story, and the action, but like Wanted, it left me feeling a bit dirty. I am not really a prude, but I don't always think thst freedom of expression should come without some personal responsibity. Maybe High School me wants to yell 'fuck yeah!', but the responsible adult me that still loves comics wonders if this needed to be done like this. Just because you can show the main character's Dad Fucking a woman from behind on their couch as his son walks in, doesn't mean it needs to be done, or that it makes for a good story