Comic Book Review


All-Star Batman and Robin # 5

By: Kurt Amacker
Review Date: Tuesday, May 22, 2007

Words fail me when reviewing DC’s All-Star Batman and Robin. On a gut level, I want to harshly criticize the book for its ridiculous delays and for its showcase of Frank Miller’s worst qualities as a writer. The humor comes off as intentionally offensive; he repeats bombastic phrases for effect, with none in sight; and the entire issue covers surprisingly little ground. We see Batman foil an attempted rape and injure the attackers. During that episode, the members of the future Justice League of America – Superman, the Green Lantern, Plastic Man, and Wonder Woman – meet to discuss the Batman and the awful name he gives costumed heroes. By now you’ve likely heard that All-Star Wonder Woman hates men with a burning passion. She refers to the first one she passes as “sperm bank.” Miller reaches into his bag of Sin City tricks when Superman passionately kisses Wonder Woman after she tells the assembled heroes that she hates their guts and they make her sick (twice). Nonetheless, she storms off and tells them to take on Batman themselves, adding that she’ll take care of him after they fail. Miller punctuates her exit with some ham-fisted Golden Age narration, stating “In time, the bonds will form. These four will become legends. The stuff that dreams are made of. The Justice League of America. For now, they are creatures of accident and destiny. Each seeking their way. To truth. To justice. Right this moment, it seems there’s only one man standing in their way…” I love sentence fragments, while we’re at it. Miller shows us a couple of cool moments with Alfred and Robin, but they fail to compensate for the rest of the issue.
 
I said that my first inclination remains to trash this fifth issue with the same acumen with which I did the first four. But, the entire approach feels so bombastic and over-the-top that I think Miller means every word of it. I can’t fathom why he feels the need to adopt such an absurd approach in a series meant to render Batman iconically, rather than ironically. Miller has stated that All-Star Batman and Robin exists in his own loose Batman continuity that includes Year One, The Dark Knight Returns, The Dark Knight Strikes Again, and Spawn/Batman. And yet, that defies the series’s mandate – to show the Batman as everyone knows him, be they comic readers or not.
 
This feels like a postmodern, at times even mean-spirited approach to the history of the DC Universe. That might be your thing, but I think I’m through with this series.
 
Questions? Comments? Let us know what you think at comicscape@mania.com.


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Comments/Responses
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daforce • May 22, 2007, 01:52am •
Kurt, bottom line is that Miller is Bat-shit crazy. We've known this now for awhile. Especially ever since he announced at last year's WonderCon that he wanted to have Batman fight Al-Queda.

Miller's great in his own little universes, but he stopped playing ball with all the other kids a loooong time ago. Hence the reason why he should never be allowed near an established comic book character ever again.

Oh, and your 'C+' grade was very generous. I would have given it a D-.


SinisterPryde • May 22, 2007, 02:24am •
After a year-long wait I was hoping for something that would bring me back into this series. Instead, here we are in #5 of a series called Batman AND Robin and there is still no Robin. The story itself just seemed to show people (heroes included) at their absolute worst.

When DC announced this series, I was excited. I was expecting something akin to the Denny O'Neil/Neal Adams Batman. Gritty but fun. I have hard time believing that even DC doesn't have a problem with these issues. I figure they don't want to piss Miller off, though, so they are letting this continue. Miller, in turn, seems to be trying to see how bad he can make this before DC yanks the plug.

Bleh, I'm done with this as well.

Mokin • May 22, 2007, 07:31am •
I dare say that I found this issue to be crap. Had this been a new hero (not Batman), I wouldn't have picked up the issue. I think Miller is highly over-rated.

...know what? I dropped the series from my pull list. My money is way better spent elsewhere...and for the purists, it wasn't the delay that did it...it was the writing...

enamic5 • May 22, 2007, 08:26am •
Honestly, I thought Miller's writing was already quite poor at Dark Knight Strikes Again.
I do love him as an artist and actually as a writer as well, but I think he should just continue with Sin City, rather than do what he critisized about others - wreck Batman.

jedibanner • May 22, 2007, 09:37am •
Well....I guess I don't fully agree with all of you.
The issue itself where I think people forget is, this isn't meant to be the Batman we ''know and love''. This is suppose to be a Batman we should know or that we would see in our reality.

The idea that this Batman isn't all nice and undertanding is different and I actually like the idea of having someone trully enjoying punishin the bad guys permenantly. I see this Batman as a man who has lost in own mortality when his parents were killed and isn't soft on avenging his lost on the bad guys.

He is a good writer and with Jim Lee's art, what better could you ask (yes, shipping in time would be great that's for sure)?

this aspect of the JLA is a different tone then what we are and this ''Ultimate'' universe of DC is cool to see them in a different tone. I hate, hate Superman but, to see him with this new attitude is cool, so is Wonder Woman's attitude.

I still like it, will give it a shot to the end.

I am surprise to see that so many people are ready to bash one of the greatest writters in comics so fast....

Merin • May 22, 2007, 10:09am •
jedibanner, it looks like you're a fan of the Civil War ideology of super-hero comics...

which means you probably shouldn't be reading DC as a rule.

Not a criticism, just an observation.

Another observation - some people like their super-heroes to not be bigoted, egotistical jerks.

But some do.

I still love Punisher getting clobbered by Molly.

jedibanner • May 22, 2007, 10:49am •
Merin, I would say I'm a fan of the CW run but, if I had to choose which side I'd prefer to be with, I would've been with Captain America all the way.

The idea of having heroes going around because they choose to, not because they have to is something I ''respect'' (since none trully exist, it's more a preference then respect).

That's why I see this new Batman as a new take (a la Ultimate) on someone who has suffered a great deal and is making amend onto the world.

It is true Merin that, the world of DC is more, happy happy joy joy compared to the reality of our world with the Marvel Universe.

I don't remember which person said it but, someone once explained that the DC universe would be the world as it should be and the Marvel universe is the world as it is today.

I am not a big fan of the DC world but, last year's Infinity Crisis was a great run.

''Another observation - some people like their super-heroes to not be bigoted, egotistical jerks''....I guess that's true, I prefer my heroes with an edge rather then being boyscouts from the 1920's.

Merin • May 22, 2007, 11:00am •
No offense was intended, jedibanner. Hope none was taken.

And everyone has the right to enjoy what they like.

I shouldn't even be commenting here - I've not read this series nor do I even like Batman.

SinisterPryde • May 22, 2007, 11:18am •
This series isn't actually an "Ultimate" take of the Batman character. It is supposed to break Batman and Robin down to their iconic elements without all the baggage of continuity. It is also supposed to appeal to all-ages. At least, that was how DC originally marketed this series, which is why most of us are upset over how this series has turned out.

On that other, if someone is enjoying this series and taking something from it (whether or not its intended) then that is great and I say read on!

jedibanner • May 22, 2007, 11:46am •
Merin, don't worry, no offense was taken and I rather enjoy these discussions without any name calling or ''cry babies''.

although, when DC mentiones that the All Star comics are supposed to ''break Batman and Robin down to their iconic elements without all the baggage of continuity''....let's be honest here.....it's a loose copy very close to the Ultimate line.

I am curious SinisterPryde, why so upset with the all star B & R? the core itself of Batman is, he's someone beating criminals, there is no way in hell he wouldn't enjoy what he does, he's smart, edgy, has a master plan that no one obviously understand......I see all these things as being what the Batman mythos is and I see all this in All Start B&R.

At least, that's the great thing about comics, if you do love it, read on, if you don't, just stop.

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