Morrison Interview about Batman

DC is certainly an interesting place to work at right now

I think Morrison's being a little bitch about this. His point is destroyed by the fact that comics did a lot in WWII and other wars. And you could easily turn everything he said against him by writing the same setence except using police officers and crimes. He sounds like he's crying because Miller is doing something not viewed as PC.

My problem with Batman vs. Al Qaeda is the same as my problem with Batman in Justice League: I thought all he cared about was Gotham.

Unless Al Qaeda does something massive in Gotham, why would he even care?

That's a good point. I don't have a problem with thinking it'll suck because I do due to Miller. But the way Morrison attacked it was very douchey and for not being PC. I would have more respect for Morrison if he just said "you know what, I don't think it'll be any good and am not interested."

Though I think terrorism would fit Batman's MO more than a lot of the JLA stuff does. It's more street level and such.

I agree on that, I've wanted to see a terrorist plot in Batman for a while. Instead I get HUSH and Red Hood. ???

But I still think it's a bit of an odd thing to come from Miller. But maybe it's because his name's always thrown around with Alan Moore's, and I over estimate his "artsyness."

There was an interview with him where he talked about how disappointed he was by the comic community's lack of response to the terrorism going on. He said this is going to be a pro American propaganda piece like the WWII comics were.

At least they attack Gotham.

But really, do comics really fit the mold they used to? Maybe comics aren't being used as propaganda for a reason these days.

I think they still fit the mold. It's more been that there hasn't been an enemy to rally the heroes around for a long time.

I don't know. Part of the reason the propaganda worked in the past is because the comics were aimed at kids. It's a more mature market now, especially when Miller is the writer.

I agree it could be a fun read, but I don't think it will work as "propaganda."

I don't know if it would be a fun read or not. I have little faith in Miller's ability to put out a good story anymore.

It would be entertaining in the "Wow, Batman CLOBBERED that guy" kind of way

To me, it sounds like a guy thinking he can do something "controversial" and "innovative". About two steps away from doing a Judd Winnick "hey, look at me" stunt.

They had "Batman vs. Bosnian Land Mines" around 1997 and "Batman vs. The Gang Issue" around 1990. So really nothing new to have Batman in a "propaganda comic". Batman's also been telling kids about the virtues of Milk for awhile, now.

No terrorist plots in Gotham? Heck, Kobra's opposed Batman since 1985 or so. I clearly remember a 1998 issue of 'TEC where Batman finds a Kobra hideaway, just outside Gotham. During "No Man's Land", there was a very minor subplot about the Locust organization trying to break into Gotham (covered in an issue of JLA, I believe).

I can kind of see where Miller's coming from, though. When 9/11 happened, it seemed so unreal to me that I half expected to see Dr. Doom take over everyone's TV and issue his demands. Then on Wednesday night, there would've been a big fight at the Statue of Liberty, where Captain America delivers the coup de grace.

At least that's what the little boy in me thought. Grow up, Frankie.

You know, I think Morrison's comments would carry more weight if his Batman was actually readable. I picked up an issue today, and it's fucking terrible.

So what exactly didn't ya' like about it Swiggy? I'm not "OMG, Best Fucking Comic Book Ever. I wanna' Suck Morrison's Shlong!!**!". But it's allright and definitely better than Judd Winnick's shitty run on the book.

Yeah, it is sad that, nowadays, you can keep a reader's interest by simply NOT being shitty.

The premise of Batman's long lost son is ridiculous to me in the first place. I won't even go there. But the whole fucking book was Alfred trying to get Batman to act like Bruce.

I know that doesn't sound horrid, but think about it. Batman has multiple characters he plays, Bruce Wayne being one of them. I hardly think the guy who can play Matches Malone to perfection needs coaching to be Bruce Wayne. He could probably pull Millionaire playboy off pretty easily.

And the opening pages? Wow, someone dresses up like Batman and shoots the Joker. Nobody has EVER done anything like that. And WTF with the Joker copter? Is this 1961?

I know its not Judd Winick, but it's not much better.

Mad Dog and I were all over the Joker sequence.. we both thought it was unnecessary and damn retarded.

Batman's son has been mentioned before. In 1987 or so, in "Batman: Son of the Demon", Talia and Batman got it on. It was mentioned that they had conceived a son. The son was quickly forgotten and Batman editor Denny O'Neil publicly stated that it was out of continuity and had never happened.

The son was mentioned in the 1998 Elseworlds/DC crossover "The Kingdom". That was an alternate reality and a harmless "what if" story.

To bring the son back into continuity...well, that's still debateable at this point. Personally, I'm a little bit against the son bit, but I'll see where this goes. That's the shitty thing about following monthlies nowadays. You have to wait 6 months and 18 bucks to see if the story was worth a damn or if you even liked it.

The time could have been right to insert Batman's son into continuity at other periods over the past 20 years, so this feels a bit like grandstanding. For instance, when Batman was crippled in 1993, or when he disappeared from Gotham for a year, after the earthquake in 1999 (during that absence, he DID go to visit Talia...and I thought the son might return at that point).

Keep in mind, that the DNA tests haven't come back yet on the "son". Talia coudl just be messing with Batman...or else this is a super de-aged Ra's who Talia's training to mimic Batman (Lazarus Pit screw-up).

I'd say that Alfred doesn't want Bruce to be a character, like Matches or Detective Hawke, etc. But I do think the "don't neglect Bruce Wayne" bit has been done tirelessly over the past ten years. Alfred left Bruce in 1994 because he was neglecting Bruce. In late 1995, Alfred again told Batman to spend more time as Bruce, and he complied this time. Supposedly the past year was spent with Batman having some "Bruce Time".

I dunno...this current "Bruce time" is really just a gimmick to get Batman to travel overseas. Somewhat more believable than the 1970's Brave & the Bold yarns where Batman would pick up the Metal Men and fly to Africa to find a special object, on request of the US government (yes, that really happened).

I don't think Alfred wants Bruce to be a character, but the way Batman's been written in the past few years makes it seem as though Bruce is just a mask Batman wears to make Batman more possible. It especially came to light during Rucka's run, when Batman nearly abandonded Bruce Wayne.

I really just found it ridiculous when Batman has to be told to walk a certain way. The dude has detailed instructions and plans for EVERYTHING. Why would he forget how to be "himself?" It's just not consistent with the Batman they've portrayed in recent years. Then again, I didn't read Infinite Crisis, so I might be missing something.