A couple years ago, I decided to spend a birthday reading and writing about comics that shared an issue number with my new age. Some people like to celebrate with “cake” and “parties” with “friends,” but obviously I choose comics. So, for Big Daddy Dave’s birthday 34, I’m picking another issue #34, surprisingly off the beaten path, picked because I’ll soon be watching The Batman on HBO Max and I’m in the mood for Dark Knights.
Batman
Understanding The Dark Knight Strikes Again: Frank Miller’s Self-Destructive Magnum Opus
Gotham is saved, the future finds hope, and the Dark Knight has returned. But when the world is at its worst, it’s time for the Dark Knight to strike again.
In 2001, Frank Miller returned to DC Comics for a belated sequel to his highly influential Batman dystopia Dark Knight Returns
Best Batman Comics & Graphic Novels!
It’s time for DC’s The Batman to hit theaters in 2022, which means the CBH staff is here to pick some favorite Batman comics and graphic novels to fully immerse yourself in Gotham City.
Much like our guide for Wolverine, these picks represent some personal favorites and more off-the-beaten-path recommendations than the average list. If you’re wondering where best of Batman mainstays like Dark Knight Returns and “Year One” are, well, you can probably find them on my picks for the best comics of all time!
Batman Swallowing His Own Cape: The Modern Caped Crusader’s Narrative Autocannibalism
“Rest in peace, Batman!”
The story of Batman ended about ten years ago with Christopher Nolan and Grant Morrison.
That’s the sort of thesis statement you either spend an entire thinkpiece dancing around to set up or you frontload, looking like a maniac completely divorced from cultural and commercial reality and having to explain yourself to whoever’s left reading at the end of the article. But I stand by that statement: What we’ve been watching and reading for the past decade has been the (extremely lucrative) post-flatline flailings of a corpse whose brain hasn’t stopped firing neurons yet. Victory did, in fact, defeat him. [Read more…] about Batman Swallowing His Own Cape: The Modern Caped Crusader’s Narrative Autocannibalism
‘Tis the Season to be Harley (Quinn) in the Batman Adventures Christmas Specials
If you’ve watched, read, or listened to pretty much any media featuring Batman in which a holiday is even mentioned, it’s likely that you’ve heard his tragic origin story. If not, here’s a quick recap: his very rich parents were killed in a dark alleyway they had no business being in after an opera, play, or movie. After that, every holiday was ruined. Every single one. Yes, including St. Patrick’s Day. Forever.
Oh, to be an orphan on Christmas! As you know, this tragedy messed the young Bruce Wayne up in all kinds of ways, and to this day, he’s still out here, dressing like a bat just in case someone does a crime. It might not come as a great surprise that Batman is a real Scrooge when it comes to celebrating the winter solstice, but to be fair, a lot of people try to kill him in highly inventive holiday-themed ways on a fairly regular basis. Somewhat paradoxically, despite Batman being a real bummer during this time of year, Batman Christmas Specials are a delight across all mediums. That goes double for most of the myriad Batman Adventures
Covering The Batman & Robin Adventures #3, The Batman Adventures Holiday Special #1, Batgirl Adventures #1, and Batman: The Adventures Continue #15-17 [Read more…] about ‘Tis the Season to be Harley (Quinn) in the Batman Adventures Christmas Specials