All Star Batman & Robin The Boy Wonder #5
Writer: Frank Miller
Artists: Jim Lee & Scott Williams
Okay okay okay, let's get the late jokes out. A year after number four, we get number five. All because Jim Lee couldn't stop playing poker, playing videogames, running Wildstorm, or whatever he was doing during this "missing year." Does it show? Suprisingly, no. Jim Lee didn't lose any of his talent, and Frank Miller still writes like Frank Miller. Having just read Hush in the Absolute Edition (Thanks Nick!), looking at this book it's easy to see that Jim is doing a lot of things differently, or at least doing what Miller tells him to do. And it's cool to see that the storytelling does change with artists as they move from writer to writer, but on to what really matters, the story. We start out with a mad as hell Frank Miller Wonder Woman. I call her Frank Miller Wonder Woman, because she thinks like Frank Miller thinks, Noir-ish and angry. Wonder Woman goes to meet the Justice League, still new and consisting of Superman, Wonder Woman, Hal Jordan, and Plastic Man? Sure Frank, whatever. The JLA wants to take down Batman because he is making them look bad with his hell-bent ways and attitude. Wonder Woman wants to kill Batman and parade his head around on a pike, obviously this is one Amazon still fresh off the island. Superman won't let that happen and kisses Wonder Woman to change her mind. Wierd. Well, in Frank Miller's mind, Supes has always had a hard-on for Diana, see DK2 for more on that, if you want... Batman goes out on patrol and Miller uses this opportunity to show us how wild, crazy, and brutal he is without a Robin. He loves being the "Goddamn Batman" and rains pain on thugs like, well, a bat out of hell. Batman here, is scary as hell. It's like he has a death wish, swinging through the city using his bat-rope only when he has to. Miller also shows us the strongest Alfred ever, taking his frustrations out on a punching bag and regretting that "Master Bruce" has grown up to become a demon. Some might say that Miller is doing Batman wrong, but I think he's setting us up to realize why Batman needs a Robin. During the Bruce Wayne: Murderer and Fugitive storylines, Bruce isolated himself and became a brutal jerk, and it was only until after Infinite Crisis that he got back under control. So here, Miller is trying to show us what the unrestrained Batman is like, how he's out of control and actually might do less for the city than when he has a Robin at his side. Is this the Batman who is going to be taking tips from Jim Gordon? Hell no. What we might be seeing here is the evolution of the Batman, and I think when it's all said and done the rest of you might agree with me and like this story like I am. We'll see, just like we'll see if this book comes out on its all new bi-monthly schedule. See you in two months for #6? We'll see... B+
Oh my God it came out, it really came out.
First, glad your enjoying the Absolute, I almost kept that sucker.
Two:
Wonder Woman comes off as the biggest bitch in the world in this issue. I know as an Amazon she in general is suppose to strongly disagree with the "male" world but the characterization of her in this is WAYYY over the top and in a world of super-heroes and powers even I had a hard time believing this characterization of her.
Alfred looks like Ra's al Ghul, I am sorry but the hairdo and face, all very simlar to Batman's greatest foe, check it out if you don't believe me. I did a double take and was like what the fuck is Ra doing in Bruce's mansion hitting a punching bag.
Where the fuck is Robin, isn't this Batman & Robin...oh wait that's him at the last page of the book.
What happened to Black Canary was that story ever tied up, did I like forget the resolution to that.
Batman, does not, will not EVER refer to himself as cool, or say things like "Another Storm...Cool" Seriously, what the fuck was Miller smoking. He wasn't even writing the thing well, the Batman dialogue was just the same damn speech over and over, I like the rain, it's a hunting night, blah blah blah.
Lee is the only redeeming thing about this book now. I can understand taking time to pencil an issue but it meant Miller also had time to tweak his writng as well, and from what i read here, I am pissed even more that THIS is what we had to wait almost a year for.
GAHHH!
Nick just said things I've already suspected about the book, I liked the review, but I'm done with this book. I have the Wizard thing on Lee if I ever want to look at his Batman. There is no editor on this book.
Black Canary will be back in the next few issues, Newsarama had the next 3 or 4 covers up at one time and she was on one of the covers. This issues was a let down, the Characters didn't seem themselves, especially WW, and WTF is PlasticMan even doing there? I'm going to keep on reading it anyways, since it's the only DC title I'm reading. Aren't they suppose to continue the series after issue #6? Can't remember if I read that or had a bad dream.
Two things I forgot to mention: Plastic Man was one of the original JLA members, and the Super-Kiss power of Superman's is something he had Pre-Crisis (thats the original crisis, not IC) we mentioned the power on a podcast, others include super-ability to invent anything...I'm not kidding.
Drawing Wildcats maybe.. Where the fuck is that by the way jim Lee?
i think i speak for me and chris both,when i say... fuck this book!
What the FUCK is wrong with you people, This Batman is AWESOME.
First: Plastic man is an original and a great Character. What better than a supernutjob to represent the cynism of the story.
Second: Yes WW is quite a bitch. But if you know your greek mythology youll know that Paradise Island its BITCH CENTRAL. the place is filled with feminist who grow up hating men with out even seeing a man, how do you think they react when they see a man. So his took on WW its quite bitchy but quite damn accurate.
And Third: We are talking about a man who saw his parents get killed by a punkass with a gun at the age of six. He has been patient and trained his body for twenty years or so. His parents murder was never found and, if you read DK2, probably never will. If you add all that you have quite a cruel and cynical bastard. Now he is now 24 or so, and his living his dream, he is preventing new Bruce Waynes from appearing, Of course he will say stuf like that he is pretty damn exited about being THE GODAMN BATMAN . there is nothing better than the feeling that youll always be remembered with fear in the hearts of Punkasses with guns.
Yes he is stoic, Grim and methodical; but he also has cool gadjets, a great car, a great fortune, a butler who can patch him in case he gets hurt, a deep childhood trauma , many people to whom express that inner pain in many creative ways, and no real responsability other than the ones he decides to have. Ill must say Ill forgive him if he wants to express his exitement with a cool, HELL any other would be jumping around and screaming! so I consider this caracter a bit more human in his own way.
I'm absolutely loving All Star Batman and Robin (even though it irks me to no end to support a book that is SO behind publishing schedule).
Personally, I think ASBR reads like an over-the-top parody. Anyone looking for something else is bound to be disappointed.
Guess it just goes to show how strong a concept Batman is - you can bend him, you can twist him, and still, he's the goddamn Batman.