Batman Titles

Any BoP fans out there? What'd'ja think of last issue, huh? I am swiftly becoming a Gail Simone devotee. She has single-handedly created the most consistently entertaining title in the DC2 (though Ed Benes and Joe Bennett have helped); the gang that BC assembled to take on the brothers was a neat concept, and really highlights her own place and standing in the legion of DC martial artists (plus her internal monologue makes her probably, the best written character in the DCU--- any arguments, there?)!
Anyone else think that, after the last page of this issue, that the future holds a new role for Babs? Coincidentally, and this was planned weeks ago, before I read this issue, the Barbara Gordon Batgirl is the version we will be using in the DC2 title, The New Outsiders.

SPOILER WARNING:



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It's rumoured that Gail will be writing a new Batgirl series with Babs!

shhh!

I don't think its my cup of tea. I'll give it another chance next month, but that's it.

I posted this on the DCMB's:


I think next issue will be my last. I'm sorry. I guess this just isn't my cup of tea. There are a lot of minor things that jar me... and taken in isolation, I'll grant most of it is being nitpicky. But cumulatively, well:

1) Vicki seems to have an extremely limited vocabulary. Granted my only exposure to her has been post-Troika, pre-Knighfall. Maybe this is a throwback to earlier portrayals I never read. So. Let's say her name wasn't Vicki Vale. Suppose she was a totally new character, say "Jane Smith." Her speech patterns still grate on me. I.E, my beef isn't that I feel Vicki is OOC, it's that I don't like her character as currently portrayed.

Devils advocate : She's in shock, and not choosing her words carefully.

Rebuttal : Last issue didn't exactly grace us with any witty repartee on her part.

2) The final panel of the Vicki/Alfred scene looks more... romantic than it ought to.

Devil's advocate : I'm reading more into it than I should.

Rebuttal : Very possible. The panel still bugs me. I'm sorry.

3) Bruce figures the best way to help an emotionally traumatized boy is to scare the bejujus outta him, not let him deal with his grief, and verbally and physically abuse him?

I realize this is an alternate continuity... but I can't say I like this version.

I'm a creature of habit. Once I get used to buying a title, it takes a lot to make me drop it. Right now, I'm not so sure I want to get used to it.

I'm giving it one more issue to draw me in. If it doesn't, I'm gone.

I posted this question on the DC message board but no-one wanted to reply to me . All Star is supposed to exist outside of regular continuity, but does it have its own internal continuity? Will future writers have to continue with Frank Miller's vision or will they be free to do their own thing and are the All Star versions of Batman and Superman supposed to exist in the same continuity. I guess what I'm asking is whether All-Star is an Ultimates style reboot or more like Legends of the Dark Knight, a sort of ongoing chain of mini-series.
Anyway, I'm liking it so far... I think. I certainly find I can't wait to read the next one. In particular I want to see what Miller and Lee do with the villains, although I think I'll be waiting 'till at least issue 4! I think I will enjoy the series, as long as I remember its something new. I usually buy a complete story arc when I start purchasing a new book, so that I've given it a real chance to impress me. I will thus be reserving judgement until after issue 6.
Having said that I gave up on Blood of the Demon after issue #3!

Um, you're joking right, Charlie?

I don't think Chuck Austen writes comics anymore. HE JUST DISAPPEARED??

Chuck had so much controversy starting to surround him he probably had to change his name or something. Seriously, it seemed like he was getting all the big assignments there for a bit and then just dropped out of sight.

I can't actually recall ever reading an issue of LOTDK? You know, unless it was part of any title wide crossovers or anything.

Sorry. :-D

Thanks for the laugh Doc! It came at just the right time.

I'm only buying Batman if the art is Doug Mahnke. No two ways about it. Don't enjoy that other guy, no matter how good... Hmm...

Ed's Catwoman was great, but Will's isn't bad either. He's written her well, so far. Loving Pete Wood's art on her, though. It's much more to my liking that Gulacy's was, personally.

I forget all the details and it may not be true anyway... But as part of the post IC fallout the Bat books are going to get a bit of a shake up [in terms of production as well as plot!]. My understanding is that both Legends and Gotham Central are for the chop, but both are to be replaced with new books. Presumably the new ones will be along similar lines.

I think the current, "Legend" may be the penultimate storyline, so at least the book will make it to issue 200. I think the change is as much a re-branding exercise as anything else.

Bad news about GC though -> albeit not at all surprising. I think DC have wanted rid of it for a while now.
No, thats not fair... I think that DC recognises that it makes commercial sense to stop it and replace it with something with a wider appeal. But its difficult to cancel something that has just won Eisners AND is a pet project of one of your top writers! So they drove away Ed Brubaker and of course Greg Rucka doesn't have the time to write all the issues on his own.