RSS Posted March 26, 2009 Report Share Posted March 26, 2009 This week Preston and drqshadow take a look at Batman: Battle for the Cowl #1, BPRD: The Black Goddess #3, GI Joe #3 and Resident Evil #1. Did any of the books impress the duo? The above is from: http://www.earth-2.net/reviews/c/iiwy/iiwy-083 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Missy Posted March 26, 2009 Report Share Posted March 26, 2009 Sorry for the delay in getting this one up. There were some issues on my end that needed to be dealt with before I could get to the actual editing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuaveStar Posted March 26, 2009 Report Share Posted March 26, 2009 Yes! That is exactly how I felt about BFTC! Thank you DRQ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dread Posted March 26, 2009 Report Share Posted March 26, 2009 I thought the first issue of BFTC offered "more than a series of fistfights with nameless, faceless goons and a thin "Imposter Bats" storyline" when it, you know, broke out the most dangerous inmates of Gotham, blew up one of Gotham's most important landmarks in Arkham and set up the infighting amongst the Bat-family. Bruce is the centre of that family. There's a reason for that confusion. And nowhere has this been touted as similar to "Death of Superman" but I would firmly argue that more has happened in this first issue than in that entire storyline. It was the aftermath of DoS that actually had any story in it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drqshadow Posted March 26, 2009 Report Share Posted March 26, 2009 I figured that review might ruffle a few feathers... It's natural to expect a bit of chaos and anarchy within the family when their cornerstone is removed. I can understand the heroes acting strangely in such a situation, even doing things that are far out of character. What I don't expect is a lack of passion and direction, which is what I got in this issue. Although Robin plays the part of narrator, the primary focus this month is on Nightwing, and he didn't even seem to have a reaction beyond an insistence that there shouldn't be another Batman. OK, Dick, you want to elaborate a bit on that for us? No? Where are you going with that stick? Tim donning the cape and cowl made for a nice visual, but that was over after three panels and the rest of his appearance was just business as usual, cleaning up the streets with the team. The rest of the crew didn't even merit that much attention. How did it set up any infighting if nobody changed their outlook on the situation during the course of this issue? Dick came in disliking the idea of a new Batman. Tim thought it was necessary. The two shared maybe three words from cover to cover. Alfred had his say, but I don't even think Dick was listening. If anything was "set up" there, it was done before this issue. If the destruction of Arkham and the release of Bruce's rogue's gallery were such huge events, why were they touched on and then forgotten so quickly? The asylum barely had a single panel to burn before it was left behind, never to be mentioned again. I'll admit that, in retrospect, both could turn out to be major turning points, but they felt more like footnotes in this story. I didn't hate the book, but I was disappointed by the lack of circumstance and forward momentum. This should be a big deal - Bruce Wayne is dead. There's going to be another Batman. Instead, it felt more like a generic "fight the goons in the streets until the bad guy shows his hand" throwaway story arc. I was expecting something with meat, and what I got was a light snack. As for the Death of Superman reference, I wasn't reading that into DC's marketing, I was drawing my own comparisons. They're both major events for the publisher, both feature the aftermath of a similar event, and I really don't think the first issue of Battle for the Cowl benefits from the comparison. The "Death of" arc included more than just the battle with Doomsday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dread Posted March 26, 2009 Report Share Posted March 26, 2009 The "Death of" arc included more than just the battle with Doomsday. Barely. Oh yeah, A fight with the justice League and a family caught in a burning house. This has more in common with Reign of the Supermen than "Death of..." I also really liked that it was balanced by the family trying to keep the mystique of Batman going by not letting their victims see them. I do agree with the Nightwing thing. He was kind of wooden. And Arkham gets its own oneshot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drqshadow Posted March 27, 2009 Report Share Posted March 27, 2009 This has more in common with Reign of the Supermen than "Death of..." That's exactly what I said! I was probably lumping the "Funeral for a Friend" storylines in with the main "Death of" arc, which I think is understandable... Arkham getting its own one shot is fine and dandy, but how does that affect my opinion of this issue, here and now? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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