abuddah

Name: Andy Bentley

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Reviews
abuddah's Recent Comments
March 20, 2013 4:03 pm If you'd been through the wringer that is the comic book industry like Waid has, you'd probably be a little snarky on the Twitters as well.
March 20, 2013 4:00 pm And if that isn't enough... http://www.bleedingcool.com/2013/03/20/235086/ Fialkov off all the GL titles! I agree, Harras has to go.
March 17, 2013 10:36 pm I'm as jaded as the next comic book reader in their 30's, but really? B&R had 0 effect? I have to say it comes across as being defensive about the Avengers Arena pick. It wasn't a corporate decision to thin out the herd of Robins, it was a specific plot point Morrison had since his first story arc. His run is meant to be an all encompassing look at the history of Batman and a "Robin Dies at Dawn" moment was needed. As for the aftermath, this is what we do with Superheroes. We have to keep recreating the defining moment that made them put on the tights in the first place. Batman broods, Spider-Man feel Guilty, Wolverine gets angry. Maybe it's just the effect of being a reviewer of a medium and you're burnt out. But I thought it was a pretty powerful comic especially compared to the brainless, violent drivel that is the kewl-52
February 14, 2013 12:06 pm Thanks for a great piece of writing, Paul. I'm frustrated because I found the conclusion quite disappointing. The word "hype" keeps coming up other reviews about this conclsion but the anticipation is built upon the stakes that Snyder raised in the proceeding issues. A kidnapped Alfred, a poisoned commissioner Gordon, the contents of the serving tray, the threat of the Bat Family's identity and then in this issue their personal disfigurement. None of these consequences were delivered upon, leaving the joker an ironically 'toothless' villain. Yes, many unnamed cops and ancillary Gothamites died, but that lacks the personal involvement this story claims to be about. So the argument then is that this is about the thematic Death of the (Bat-family) but even this wasn't delivered. There was a terse call between Bruce and Dick and Damien decided to train elsewhere. That pales in comparison to many of the dust ups between Bruce and his adopted family over the years. The structural flaw is that Snyder doesn't utilize the Bat-family in this title. He has Nightwing show up from time to time to give Bruce someone to talk to (or punch), but he doesn't work with them to track down the Talon or hunt the Joker within the Batman title. Barbara and Jason were merely props in this storyline. Therefore how are we to feel any ramifications as the title moves forward? Imagine a furious Jason Todd at the end of this issue chastising Bruce for not killing the Joker and storming out. Maybe one of the Robins quits as well. That would at least give you a better sense that the Joker has won. I can't concede Snyder would pull a "jokes on you" Wanted type of ending either. I also take issue with the psychological and thematic elements of the Batman/Joker dynamic being blatant rather than suggestive as they have been in the past. When Snyder offers up a metatextual argument over Batman killing the Joker, it brings you out of the story and into an argument in your local comic book store. He even has the Joker disprove the slippery slope argument and you're left with the realization that the Joker is alive because DC has to keep these licensed characters going. Watching Frank Miller's Dark Knight Returns DVD last week didn't help either. Bruce's visit to the Joker back in the day feels too on the nose and out of character. There's a big difference between the Joker not caring who Batman is or literally not being able to process it. There's also some structural problems with the story as a whole. Why would the Joker attack Alfred is he literally can't process Batman's secret identity? How did he get back into the caves for this final issue? Also read Batman's dialog by the waterfall again. That's a lot of verbiage in the middle of a tense fight to the death, a flaw in the finale of the Talon story as well. I like Scott Snyder, I think he's a kind man with great insight into these characters and I even had my Batman #1 signed by him at NYCC. But ultimately, I'm only keeping The Black Mirror on my proverbial coffee table.