Batman and Robin Must Die! (Review)

Writer: Grant Morrison

Artists: Frazer Irving, David Finch, Cameron Stewart, et al

Publisher: DC Comics

Collects: Batman & Robin #13-16; Batman: The Return #1

When Bruce Wayne "died" at the hands of Darkseid in 2009's Final Crisis, rather than die with him, the Bat-franchise exploded into so many ongoing series that I honestly lost count. But there was one that stood above all the others: Batman & Robin, starring former Boy Wonder Dick Grayson as Batman, and recently revealed offspring Damian Wayne as Robin. Fun, colourful and action-packed, fans and critics alike loved this series a lot more than anybody could have expected.

But now Bruce is back, and I couldn't shake the feeling that the kids would have to pack up their toys now that Daddy was home as I unknowingly dove into the ominously titled Batman and Robin Must Die!
And that is the greatest thing about Grant Morrison's time writing Batman: It feels like anything could happen and nothing is set in stone. It's like a rollercoaster in the dark, and I don't know when it's going to stop.

Joker (Classic Review)

Originally released in 2008.

Writer: Brian Azzarello

Artist: Lee Bermejo

Publisher: DC Comics

Collects: Original graphic novel

A couple of years back, Azzarello and Bermejo brought us the Lex Luthor: Man of Steel mini-series, telling the infamous villain's side of the story and turning him into a deep and relatable character. In 2008, the year of The Dark Knight, they tried something similar with this OGN, simply titled Joker, safely set in its own little continuity bubble.

It is difficult to judge a story that focuses on the character of the Joker. In another OGN, Arkham Asylum, Grant Morrison wrote future Batman writers something of a "get out of jail free" card when it comes to the Clown Prince of Crime. According to Morrison, the Joker was constantly reinventing himself -- goofy trickster one minute, nihilistic murderer the next, and so on -- which sort of leaves room for multiple interpretations of him.

Perhaps to evade some of the responsibility of writing such a sociopath, Azzarello chose to tell the story from the point of view of an original character. Jonny Frost appears at first to be the usual ever-loyal henchman, eager to attach himself to the Joker for personal gain, but underneath he is in fact the usual philosopher-criminal who thinks he's got it all worked out. As with anyone who spends enough time with the Joker, he soon finds out how wrong he is.

Batman: Joker's Asylum, Volume One (Classic Review)

Originally released in 2008.

Writers: Various (see below)

Artists: Various (see below)

Publisher: DC Comics
Collects: Joker's Asylum: Joker; Penguin; Poison Ivy; Scarecrow; Two-Face

When this mini-series from DC first came out in 2008, I feared that it would get lost under the mountain of Bat-hype that was happening at the time. The Dark Knight was approaching cinemas faster than ticket sales could keep up with, and in comics Grant Morrison was taking Bruce Wayne on an interesting journey in Batman R.I.P.

And then there was Joker's Asylum. Five one-shots focusing on different members of Batman's infamous rogues gallery, each narrated by the Joker. These intriguing character pieces not only gave us an in-depth examination of each villain wrapped around a short story, but also spoke to that old chestnut we all secretly love: That the bad guys are always more interesting than the good guys.

Batman: The Return of Bruce Wayne (Review)

Writer: Grant Morrison

Artists: Chris Sprouse, Frazer Irving, Yanick Paquette, Georges Jeanty, Ryan Sook, Pere Perez, Lee Garbett

Publisher: DC Comics

Collects: Batman: The Return of Bruce Wayne #1-6

When Bruce Wayne appeared to shuffle off this mortal coil at the end of Final Crisis two years(!) ago, most of us who had been reading superhero comics for a while knew it was only a matter of time before he returned. What we didn't know was how much we would come to enjoy Dick Grayson's career as Batman in the meantime.

As we found ourselves growing to like the former Boy Wonder more and more with each new adventure, Bruce's return became less and less anticipated. Yet it still loomed on the comic book horizon, and we felt a strange sense of dread and shame as it approached.

But we cannot put off the inevitable any more. This is comics, after all, where nothing lasts forever and nothing ever ends. And so, The Return of Bruce Wayne, as its title suggests, has our eponymous and amnesiac hero trapped in the past, jumping ever closer to the present and to his former position, all the while trying to solve a millennia-old mystery and recover his memories in the process.

Where Do I Start With... Catwoman

Who?

A Batman villain almost as old as the Joker, Selina Kyle first caught the Dark Knight's eye as Catwoman in 1940 (initially known as simply "The Cat"), and was created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane.

Over the years, she eventually evolved into an on-again/off-again love interest and femme fatale type for the Batman, and is now something of an anti-villain, occasionally starring in her own spin-off series.

She remains one of the most famous Bat-villains and has appeared in various media adaptations, played by many different actresses, including: Julie Newmar, Lee Meriweather, Eartha Kitt, Michelle Pfeiffer, Adrienne Barbeau, Halle Berry, Gina Gershon, and (soon) Anne Hathaway.

Okay, so where do I start?

A-Musing: The Next Batman Movie Villain

With Christopher Nolan's next instalment in the Batman film series, The Dark Knight Rises (if that is its real name), set for a July 2012 release, speculation has been rampant online as to the identity of the villain(s).

Nolan is spoiled for choice, with over 70 years worth of material to dig through. Will he pick another big name character, or go for someone more C-list? This is the guy who made Inception, so who knows how his mind works.

But I can offer you my guesswork, based upon hours of speculation and logical reasoning that I just made up on the spot. Knowing the world as I do, there will very probably be an official announcement immediately upon my posting this list, so enjoy it while you can.

(This list only includes villains I consider to be high-level. No Penny Plunderer or Calendar Man. It also discounts villains that Nolan has explicitly denied, such as the Penguin, Mr. Freeze and the Riddler.)

Where Do I Start With... Batman

Who?

Debuting in Detective Comics #27 in May of 1939, Batman/Bruce Wayne/The Dark Knight/The Caped Crusader/Matches Malone/The World's Greatest Detective was created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger, and remains one of DC's (and the planet's) most recognisable superheroes.

Orphaned when his parents were killed by a mugger in front of him, Bruce Wayne dedicated his life to fighting crime. Travelling the world, he acquired the skills and knowledge necessary for this cause, and now he tirelessly wages a one-man war on crime in Gotham City. But you probably knew all this already. I mean, it's Batman!

Okay, so where do I start?