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Post by Admin on Aug 9, 2013 17:42:11 GMT -5
 Please let us know what you think! |
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Hush10
Staff 
Writer/Artist
Posts: 80
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Post by Hush10 on Aug 9, 2013 18:33:41 GMT -5
Pyg and the Court of Owls, can this series get any better?!
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Post by Fantômas on Aug 10, 2013 8:43:19 GMT -5
Pyg and the Court of Owls, can this series get any better?! You're too kind, Mitch. Hopefully Gotham's Order of Beasts will not disappoint as they get into full diabolical swing. Out of interest, what did people make of the Gaunt moments? He only appeared in the rewrite of this issue, as I thought the order needed more introduction that Toad's gabbled warning, but it proved to be some of the more enjoyable writing in the issue (for me to do, that is). Been particularly creeped out by alien abduction stories lately, especially the idea of the 'aliens' being hard to describe as victim's suffer them as unthinkable thoughts or have weird distorted or lost time episodes. Slenderman and other internet urban legend does similar stuff (getting physically sick after contact, too) and there's a bit of the old waking nightmare, the universally seen creeping figure you get in your peripheral vision when half awake. And I tried to figure the order's infiltration of Gaunt's manor - and Gotham - in a similar way, thanks in part to Pyg's preference for mind-altering drugs. Not sure how well it worked - creepy or just slow and too obfuscating? I quite like the idea of modern Batman facing threats that fit with more rabid conspiracy theories and psychologically disturbing urban legend (creepypasta) that the internet fosters so well. If early Batman drew from pulp, what is the internet but present-day pulp? Eh...I may have drifted there into rambling brain-storming. But I like discussion in these letter threads, so feel free to ramble back. |
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SympleSymon
Staff
New writer for BATMAN - Returning Soon!
Posts: 97
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Post by SympleSymon on Aug 23, 2013 23:29:40 GMT -5
Getting back into DC2, and what better way than to read up on the Bat titles...?
Actually bought the TPB of New 52's Court of Owls, so they're still fresh in my mind. The moment I saw the owl-masks on this cover I knew I was in for an interesting, creepy and mysterious issue - and I wasn't disappointed!
This issue had everything: a creepy prelude in the Gaunt manor, an action-packed beginning with the crashed press conference, the weird and wonderful ramblings of the Toad and then, finally, the Court of Owls makes its sinister and macarbre appearance! And Pyg.... well, 'nuff said.
Dave
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Post by Fantômas on Aug 24, 2013 1:43:46 GMT -5
Glad it made an impression, Symon.
If you're catching up on Bat-titles, be sure not to miss Vik's Detective Comics (#50 and #51) or the parallel Earth A adventures by Alex in Gotham Knights.
Issue #6 soon to come, and it's a big one. Battle-lines are being drawn and the enemy is beginning to reveal itself, as we move ever closer to this opening arc conclusion in issue #10. Who is Batman's Oldest Enemy?
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Post by arcalian on Aug 25, 2013 16:59:18 GMT -5
I noted the Gaunt spoof/homage of Bruce's own Bat-inspiration in the manor. I jumped on this issue because Robin was in it, and my boy Tim was represented well. I was half-convinced that Waynetech HAD hired the group of crooks, just so the robats could take them down. We'll see how this goes.
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Post by Fantômas on Aug 26, 2013 4:12:35 GMT -5
I noted the Gaunt spoof/homage of Bruce's own Bat-inspiration in the manor. I'm glad you picked up on that. As with Morrison's DCU Batman saga, I'm trying to put in a good few 'could-have-been' Batman/Bruce Wayne characters. I think Bruce notes that he wishes he could have turned out like Nightrunner if he hadn't been born to wealth and a privileged place in society, for example. And Dick acting as an alternate Batman now and again to keep the presence in Gotham is leading to a big examination of this idea, and just who can be Batman, whether it takes a specific kind of person or whether Batman is a malleable enough idea that...anyway, we're coming to that. So yes, Gaunt is very much a Bruce Wayne who didn't achieve anything. Possibly because his own personal tragedy was more warped, possibly just because not everyone can become Batman. Yeah. I'm going to say flat-out that they didn't hire the crooks, because...I mean, that would be a massive leap from their characters, even Tim couldn't be presented as that. cold without it just being... wrong. But it does make you suspicious and that's all I wanted. Batman Incorporated is far from a perfect idea, and there are lots of niggly questions that it raises. Justice being turned into a business seems more than a little off, and you do start imagining self-interest stunts like this could happen, because there's suddenly a boardroom of executives somewhere in the mix. RoBats are similarly uncomfortably for me, as they seem like a cool, obvious idea at first - Batman would want robot back-ups - but they're pretty much a private army of combat-ready surveillance drones. And it's not just a mystery individual at their head, it's a company. So yes, I am glad you're catching this stuff, Jay, because they're both threads that have outcomes and expansions further down the line. As I've said, issue #10 should be the big arc finale, with everything from issue #0 onwards being addressed (here's hoping nobody's forgotten the Solomon Wayne hotel room mystery!) and things set up for some new and exciting Bat-ventures. Issue #6 is written save for some lavish masquerade ball scenes, and a cocktail bar scene (don't let that put you off, the rest is pure, unadulterated violence and mystery solving), and will hopefully serve as a recap of the arc-important ideas. Stay tuned to this Bat-Channel, old chums! |
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Post by HoM on Oct 13, 2013 4:46:04 GMT -5
I think I've mentioned tihs before, but when I read this book I keep a window open to write notes in as a I go, because it's usually such a dense, deep read that I like to record my thoughts on it as I go. So just be aware that if this review is disjointed, it's because... well, because it is.
I thoroughly enjoyed the opening, wonderfully gothic and comedic at the same time. I was expecting the worst, and I think that's what you were going for, this growing sense of dread as Virgil sits there, bleeding-- what was up with that-- and hearing that sound. I was thinking, from the cover, oh, shit, a Talon, a Talon, oh no! But then... no, it was a book? Or was it? We'll see as we move forward.
I always enjoy banter, and the dialogue between the assassins was great, but the banter between Dick and Tim was better. I like familiairity between characters, and I like respect, and these two are like brothers, and again, rightly so.
The initial confusion, then the moment it dawns on the five assassins that they are screwed was beautifully done. For a minute, I was thinking that our heroes were in trouble... but no! And then Shame gets the hell out of there, which made me smile. Good work so far, Fant. Really nice flow.
The natural way the two Robins (one past, one present) interact with each other and are able to fight the good fight while still quipping and joking is a staple of their character, and I'm glad we sustain it here.
Now, I'm not sure about the RoBats. I know Morrison started teasing them, but I can't recall him following through on them (unless he was making a reference to Kingdom Come). I have a dozen ideas or so for how the RoBats could cause problems, and we'll see how you address them, but don't you feel like Batman, Incorporated is fast becoming some kind of militant private army? And now they're being installed in every major city? Ack, the implications...
THIS. Very good. You've got Gordon down. I love it. Reminds me of when the DC2 Bat-titles were intertwined and Gordon was a major character, so nothing but kudos for you there, Fant.
To be honest, the Goat-concept, is that new? I can't recall it appearing anywhere but here, but there is something brilliant and zany about a goat-man running around with an axe in Gotham. Or "Gat" "Ham" if you prefer.
And then the final twist of the knife for Gaunt. A great bookend for the issue, and a scary one at that. Pyg is a BRILLIANT villain and I'm always saddened that no one has been able to maintain the level of insanity that Morrison established. His appearance in Tomasi's Arkham War was rubbish, there as fodder for more "classic" Batman villains (no spoilers!) but here he looks brutal, insane, terrifying, everything we need for this fellow!
A great issue, but I'd have to say it was a bit intimidating for me to approach due to the size. I know I fall into the trap of oversized issues, but I try to keep them zippier when they're non-anniversary, non-event issues, so reading #5 and almost being too scared to read it because of size was a turn off for me. But I read it, and I was turned around! Good work, sir! Very good work!
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Post by Fantômas on Oct 13, 2013 5:54:10 GMT -5
Always nice to get your feedback, Charlie.
You're dead on the money with the RoBats, because as I say somewhere in this thread they are the most uncomfortable part of Incorporated. The drone warfare parallel will get expanded on, if I can, because they definitely aren't just a cool robot partner for Batman.
The goatmen...there's a Goatboy assassin in Morrison's Incorporated but he's quite a different beast to the ones here, and the home of goats etymology is mentioned in the comics by Snyder, I think, in his Black Mirror arc (and I get the feeling Moore mentioned it somewhere...I know he touches on Gotham's origins in his Swamp Thing).
The goatmen here are playing completely to urban lore, as there are quite a few stories about half-man half-goat axe murderers around America. Usually they tie into medical experimentation and mental psychosis. I'm sure if you were being clever you'd tie tha into devil-imagery (Baphomet and the now traditional Satan look) and maybe into satyrs and Greek bestial sexuality.
I just think they're scary.
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