Hatrack River Forum: "Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader?"

This is topic "Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader?" in forum Books, Films, Food and Culture at Hatrack River Forum.

To visit this topic, use this URL:
http://www.hatrack.com/ubb/main/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=2;t=054800

Posted by Puffy Treat (Member # 7210) on :

The first few pages from Neil Gaiman's Batman story are online.

Interesting start.

Posted by Lisa (Member # 8384) on :

It'll be interesting to see if it comes anywhere near the greatness of Whatever Happened to the Man of Steel. I still have the two issues that story appeared in from when they first came out.

Posted by Puffy Treat (Member # 7210) on :

After Grant Morrison's extremely stupid "Batman is trapped in CAVEMEN TIMES!" non-ending to Final Crisis, quite frankly anything would seem good.

"Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?" will probably be unchallenged, though. While the Earth One Superman's career really -was- coming to and end, I don't think anyone really believes Bruce Wayne will remain trapped in the Stone Age. [Smile]

Posted by Lisa (Member # 8384) on :

Final Crisis has nothing to do with anything. Think of it as an Elseworlds.

Posted by Puffy Treat (Member # 7210) on :

Unfortunately, the Cult of Morrison is strong online. If you don't agree with them that Final Crisis was brilliant, nay, it was art...then you're just not smart enough to understand great comics. [Frown]

Posted by TomDavidson (Member # 124) on :

The Cult of Morrison is smaller and weaker than it sometimes seems.

Posted by Puffy Treat (Member # 7210) on :

Re: Part One

*
S
P
O
I
L
E
R

S
P
A
C
E
*

I predict the sequence where Alfred reveals that he's been hiring actors to pretend to be super-villains all these years, and that he himself is the Joker will become the source of many icons, image captures, and out-of-context art over the next couple months. [Big Grin]

I guess this is the cool, weird Batman story Neil Gaiman brainstormed up with Kurt Busiek many years ago. Since all this is just prelude to (groan) Morrison's big "Batman is trapped in CAVEMEN TIMES" epic next summer, the imaginary story route is probably the best way to bid farewell to Batman-as-we-knew-him.

My own guess as to Bruce's mysterious female guide: She's not Death. That would be too obvious. No, I'm going to guess he's being directed Kathy Kane, old flame and Silver Age Batwoman. Deceased herself in the "real" continuity.

Posted by Puffy Treat (Member # 7210) on :

Just read the conclusion.

Could Neil sum up 70+ years of Batman continuity and write a convincing farewell to a character who will never truly "die" anyway?

Why, yes. Yes indeed. He did both, beautifully.

I especially liked the reveal of just who Bruce's mysterious female guide truly is, and the explanation of what sort of Afterlife awaits the Dark Knight. It was perfect.

While an extremely different story from Alan Moore's "Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?", I found this to be just as satisfying. [Smile]