Batman #655 - Batman and Son Part 1 (Building a Better Batmobile)

I´m new to the world of comics, I'm sure I'll be discovering a lot while I keep this log of comics I've read. I'm gonna need your help, being no expert at all any guidance will be useful.

I'm going to start with the Batman & Son arc by Grant Morrison. This will cover Batman #655, #656, #657, #658, #663, #664, #665 & #666

So let get this rolling:



Batman #655
Writer: Grant Morrison
Artist: Andy Kubert
Cover: Andy Kubert
Colorist: Dave Stewart
Letterer: Nick J. Napolitano
Length: 23 Pages (Estimated)

This issue starts in media res; A poisoned commissioner Gordon falls from a building while The Jocker celebrates finally killing Batman, he does not realize though, that Batman has a gun and is willing to use it.

What? Batman with a gun?
I may need some backstory, perhaps in wasn't the easiest issue to start reading Batman, but it took me a while to understand that the Batman with the gun was a cop that snapped.

This arc deals with Batman cleaning Gotham, The Joker gets incarcerated and all major villans are gone.

During this issue we get to see Tim Drake as Robin. So far I've only read stories with Tim or Dick as Robin.

The first 9 pages are very good. They give a feel of where we are heading: a bored Bruce Wayne that has to face life as himself. The rest of the issue goes with no action at all, just dialogue (mostly between Alfred and Bruce)

Overall, I think this issue has a lot of filler with some very strong sequences from the beginning.

JLA #2 - New World Order (The Day The Earth Stood Still)

JLA #2

Writer: Grant Morrison
Pencils: Howard Porter
Inks: John Dell
Colors: Pat Garrahy
Length: 23 Pages (Estimated)


Can I start with this issue or do I need to know something?: You haven't missed much if you didn't read Issue #1, briefly, here's what happend: A group of 8 Aliens called "The Hyperclan" arrived to earth, their leader, Protex, promised to fix all problems on earth, The Justice League is suspicious about this proactive approach (they have been reactive so far, right?).


What is it about?

JLA #1 - New World Order (Them!)

JLA #1

Writer: Grant Morrison
Pencils: Howard Porter
Inks: John Dell
Colors: Pat Garrahy
Length: 23 Pages (Estimated)


Can I start with this issue or do I need to know something?: I don't think there's anything that you won't be able to understand if this is your first comic ever.


What is it about?At the beginning of issue #1 we have an existing Justice League consisting of: Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Flash (Wally West), Green Lantern (Kyle Rayner), and the Martian Manhunter.


The story starts with a group of 8 aliens arriving to earth, claiming that they can fix all human problems (famine, deforestation, corruption... you get the idea. All humans cheer and welcome this alien group commanded by Protex, but Superman is suspicious about the price or effects that those fixes will have.


Meanwhile, a space station is being attacked. Green Lantern, Wonder Woman and Metamorpho are onboard (with 3 other characters I'm not familiar with) and escape just barely.


For a first issue we didn't get much information, of course we get a cliffhanger. So, I would rather get the paperback edition to get more of the story at once. Can't really judge the story so far. The illustration style is something I don't really like, it looks dated... kinda clustered. Superman has long hair, Green Lantern has a very 90's outfit and Batman has long/pointy nails... So far, I'm not crazy about this.


Did you like it?   

Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #1 - Shaman Part 1

Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight (1989) #1
Writer: Dennis O'Neil
Pencils: Edward Hannigan
Ink: John Beatty
Letterer: John Constanza
Colorist: Richmond Lewis
Length: 26 Pages (Estimated)


Can I start with this issue or do I need to know something?: 

This is the first issue of the series Legends of the Dark Knight, usually new series don't bring too much baggage. 

What is it about?

This series in particular explores the early years of Batman, there are some slides that quote Frank Miller's "Year One" 
Everything starts in Alaska, while Mr. Dogget, a bounty hunter, and Bruce Wayne are looking for Thomas Woodley. I won't spoil you the story, but Alaska keeps haunting Bruce after he returns to Gotham.

Did I like it?

This has been one of the arcs that I've liked the most so far. I've been reading Batman comics for just 6 months now, I started with the Grant Morrison run, then read the Frank Miller books, tried the Batman series from number one and now, while taking a break on that I decided to read The Legends of The Dark Knight. I've read the first 10 issues, it seems that each arc takes 5 issues.

Amazon has the first issue for free, and even when I had it for a while the cover didn't grab me from the start... So I didn't read it until I noticed I had downloaded it for a while and never paid attention to it. 

The illustrations on it have 70's vibes, probably because of the color palette it uses: plain colors, with no gradients; heavy use of ink patterns and dark silhouettes. I really like the color palette used on night scenes.

Overall, if you get this, you will be getting a really good detective story. Let me know what you think of it.