{"id":37270,"date":"2013-03-01T11:00:52","date_gmt":"2013-03-01T11:00:52","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.scifinow.co.uk\/?p=37270"},"modified":"2013-03-01T13:01:29","modified_gmt":"2013-03-01T13:01:29","slug":"grant-morrisons-batman-is-the-best-since-frank-miller","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.scifinow.co.uk\/blog\/grant-morrisons-batman-is-the-best-since-frank-miller\/","title":{"rendered":"Grant Morrison\u2019s Batman is the best since Frank Miller"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/a>
The cover art to Batman Incorporated issue 8, on sale this week<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The very best Batman stories tend to be one-offs or graphic novels. Looking at our list of DC\u2019s greatest stories featuring the Dark Knight, many of them are isolated in continuity, or relatively short-lived events that become foundations of the character\u2019s depiction for decades. Year One<\/em>, The Dark Knight Returns<\/em>, The Killing Joke<\/em> and of course, Grant Morrison\u2019s own Arkham Asylum<\/em> all offer arguably definitive takes on different pillars of Batman mythology. It\u2019s rare to find a continuing Batman story that reaches an equally high watermark \u2013 but for me, Grant Morrison\u2019s run with the character, which has been published continuously since 2006, manages to hit those same extraordinary levels of quality.<\/p>\n

This week, with the release of Batman Incorporated<\/em> #8, which features a very significant moment in the course of this seven-year epic, I feel it\u2019s worth highlighting why this is one of the best Dark Knight stories DC has ever published.<\/p>\n

Son Of The Bat<\/strong><\/p>\n

Starting with Batman & Son<\/em> in 2006, which took the non-canon story Son Of The Demon<\/em> and used it as a springboard with which to introduce Damian Wayne, Bruce Wayne and Talia Al Ghul\u2019s child, Morrison has taken the concept of Batman through numerous smart interpretations.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s just a sample of what Morrison has brought to the table with his run: he\u2019s killed the Dark Knight, reinvented the idea of Batman and Robin for a modern audience, portrayed Bruce Wayne as a caveman, reinvigorated forgotten parts of DC mythology, explored the idea of Batman being a global crimefighting franchise and even found a place for Batmite as a hallucination. The end result is an ambitious body of work that has taken risks at every step, yet retained critical and commercial success throughout. This is an unprecedented, all-angles take on the DC icon that will be reflected on fondly in years to come.<\/p>\n

For me, the fundamental appeal of Morrison\u2019s epic comes down to the maturity of his take on Bruce Wayne. Morrison\u2019s Batman encompasses every era of the character that has come before, from the gritty Frank Miller tales that fans revere to the campy Dynamic Duo stories that were prevalent in the Fifties and Sixties \u2013 in Morrison\u2019s depiction of Bruce Wayne, they all count as part of this character\u2019s colourful life, both good and bad, with each iteration representing a different part of Batman\u2019s biography. The figure Morrison conceived was a Batman at the very peak of his powers, bolstered by these many shades of insane experiences.<\/p>\n

The idea that this man and the people around him have already evolved, absorbing the decades-long mass of continuity, certainly changed the way I thought about the character after years of considering Miller\u2019s portrayal as the only \u2018proper\u2019 version of Batman. What if cursing in the dark and being tortured was just one part of Bruce Wayne\u2019s life? It\u2019s that perspective brought by Morrison that makes his extended story so rich, and Batman & Son<\/em> was the first exponent of that, teasing many aspects of what was to come. But there are many other sides to it, too.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
The pulp-style cover art for Batman: The Black Glove<\/em> trade paperback<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Batman Vs The Devil<\/strong><\/p>\n

One of Morrison\u2019s early arcs, The Black Glove<\/em>, resurrects parts of DC mythology that most people either forgot or didn\u2019t know about, primarily the Batmen Of All Nations, an arbitrary group of Fifties-created allies who become the focus of this superb murder mystery story. Morrison takes the campy novelty of having a kind of UN Batforce and turns them into a group of bickering has-beens, like embittered ageing band members from a VH1 Where Are They Now<\/em>-style documentary.<\/p>\n

Morrison\u2019s run has frequently extracted elements from DC\u2019s past and contemporised them in engaging ways \u2013 indeed, the main villain of the first two thirds of his run, Doctor Hurt, is based on a character who fleetingly appears in the 1963 story ‘Robin Dies At Dawn’. I\u2019d never heard of it, in all honesty, but this one tale powers the narrative of Morrison\u2019s work through to the end of Batman RIP<\/em>, where Hurt attempts to destroy Bruce Wayne, inside and out.<\/p>\n

I admire how specific these references are, and I\u2019ve enjoyed researching the background of them after reading each chapter. We\u2019ve all had stories throughout our lives that mean little to anyone but ourselves \u2013 whatever Morrison saw in these late Fifties and early Sixties Batman comics created a very contentious and intriguing lead up to Batman\u2019s 2008 death (which actually happened in Morrison\u2019s miniseries Final Crisis<\/em>, at the hands of Darkseid).<\/p>\n

During RIP<\/em>, Morrison also revived the idea of the Batman Of Zur-En-Arrh, a 1958 creation that was basically an equivalent Batman on another planet, far out in the galaxy with Superman-type powers. This was ingeniously appropriated by Morrison in Batman RIP<\/em> as a failsafe persona for Bruce Wayne when he reached utter psychological defeat, so Batman can continue operating as an entity when the man under the cowl is unable to \u2013 it\u2019s bizarre, but fits the idea that Batman plans for every contingency to outsmart his enemies. It was quite a path to Bruce Wayne\u2019s demise and naturally, it divided audiences.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
A panel from issue 1 of Frank Quietly and Grant Morrison’s delirious Batman & Robin<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The All-New Batman & Robin<\/strong><\/p>\n

With Bruce Wayne gone, it was time for a new Batman. Morrison collaborated with artist Frank Quitely to create Batman & Robin<\/em>, a 21st<\/sup> Century take on the property that positioned former Boy Wonder Dick Grayson as the Dark Knight and put Bruce Wayne\u2019s son Damian as his ward. The point of reference for readers was the Sixties Adam West Batman show directed by David Lynch, a breathtaking collision between the colourful and the weird that I think represented the pinnacle of Morrison\u2019s impressive arc with this DC franchise.<\/p>\n

Damian Wayne, introduced in Batman & Son<\/em>, suddenly became a much bigger deal. This character, grown in a lab by Talia Al Ghul and raised by the League Of Assassins, is a snobby and merciless 10-year old ninja \u2013 he\u2019s also Morrison\u2019s greatest gift to the DC Universe. Despite irritating readers at first, Damian\u2019s development in Batman & Robin<\/em> turned him into a fan favourite character, a living embodiment of his parents\u2019 fatally dysfunctional relationship. Morrison used the death of Bruce Wayne in Final Crisis<\/em> to turn Damian into a uniquely compelling hero, a serial-killer kid who takes on a kind of redemptive arc when he becomes the Robin to Dick Grayson\u2019s Batman and vows not to kill again in respect to his father\u2019s memory. He later takes up a vegetarian lifestyle.<\/p>\n

Thus, the dynamic was reversed: Dick Grayson was the lighter, more laid back Batman, while Damian was the angrier Robin. With Batman & Robin<\/em>, it felt like Morrison had hit on the greatest paradigm for storytelling potential at DC since Miller\u2019s Year One<\/em> \u2013 this new iteration of the Dynamic Duo, sans Bruce Wayne, was so fresh and exciting, with Grayson making a logical step in characterisation that gave enormous pay-off to this risky change-up. There was decades of potential in this setup, and Morrison\u2019s continued use of the wider cast of characters was a fantastic creative choice, too. But, of course, Bruce Wayne\u2019s imminent return was inevitable, and though it\u2019s obvious from interviews that Morrison was reluctant to close down this brilliant reinterpretation of Batman & Robin<\/em> so soon, he steered the Dark Knight\u2019s resurrection into yet another creative renaissance for the character.<\/p>\n

There are other one-off stories that demonstrate Morrison\u2019s reverence for the mythology as a storyteller \u2013 two of the best chapters in his run, for example, come in the form of Batman #666<\/em> and Batman #700<\/em>, the first of which envisions a hellish future Gotham where Damian has inherited his father\u2019s persona, and the latter of which takes one small story across the Batmen of the past, present and future. Batman #700<\/em>, entitled ‘Time And The Batman’, even manages to weave Batman Beyond<\/em> hero Terry McGinnis into the rest of the sweeping narrative at work. Batman #666<\/em>, on the other hand, is a startling anti-Dark Knight Returns<\/em> that portrays Damian as a Batman aware of his own shortcomings next to his forebears, booby-trapping the entirety of Gotham City to ensure victory against his enemies. This would later be followed up with issue five of Batman Incorporated<\/em>, which revisited this brilliantly original vision of Damian\u2019s possible fate.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
The cover for the brilliantly demented Batman Inc: Leviathan Strikes<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Batman Revived<\/strong><\/p>\n

Then came Batman Incorporated<\/em>, which sees Bruce Wayne assembling an international army of Batmen to combat a hidden enemy known as Leviathan. This stunningly illustrated run showed us Batman through the eyes of all-new characters living (somewhat) ordinary lives \u2013 an always effective storytelling device with regards to the Caped Crusader \u2013 before being recruited as part of Bruce\u2019s elaborate brand exercise; the early issues even made certain stylistic choices depending on the location of the story.<\/p>\n

My favourite part of Incorporated<\/em> came with the reintroduction of the original Batwoman, Kathy Kane, who Morrison revises as a kind of cougar-like heartbreaker for Bruce Wayne, an older love interest who falls just out of his reach. It\u2019s a wonderful, semi-realistic story that Morrison digs out of lost continuity, uncovering another side of Bruce Wayne we hadn\u2019t really seen before.<\/p>\n

Then, making the transition into DC\u2019s New 52, with Dick Grayson long since out of his Batman attire, we reach the point Morrison is at now with the controversial Batman Incorporated<\/em> #8. I don\u2019t want to spoil it for you here, considering how readily available comics are on digital devices these days (it\u2019s only two quid). All I\u2019ll say is, it offers a brutal and heartbreaking twist in Morrison\u2019s story, as well as incredible visual storytelling flair from artist Chris Burnham, whose astonishing pencil work offers an ideal visual match to Morrison\u2019s imaginative Bat-epic. With only four issues to go, I know I\u2019ll miss it dearly when Incorporated<\/em> ends.<\/p>\n

Why It\u2019s The Best Batman Run Ever<\/strong><\/p>\n

Increasingly, I have enormous respect creators who will dare to experiment with characters that have overbearing legacies attached to them. Batman is a superhero where I felt like the definitive version really already existed, but between Morrison\u2019s backlog of remarkable stories or Geoff Johns\u2019 phenomenal Batman: Earth One<\/em> from last year, it\u2019s clear there\u2019s so much more to say about this icon.<\/p>\n

Yet the unusual thing about Morrison\u2019s run is that it\u2019s a seven-year continuous tale, a sprawling masterwork that offers readers an unparalleled sense of a journey with such a popular character. Like the Dark Knight graphic novels I mentioned earlier, I know I\u2019ll keep rereading it over the course of my life, swallowed up by the writer\u2019s passion for the character and efforts to push forward his equally vital extended cast.<\/p>\n

Morrison\u2019s Batman & Robin<\/em> was especially groundbreaking \u2013 and I\u2019m fairly confident he knows it. Hence this panel in Batman Incorporated<\/em> #8, a fourth wall-bending speech by the now fan-favourite sidekick Damian Wayne, which we can\u2019t help but read as the writer\u2019s message to his readers and DC Comics about his revamped Dynamic Duo.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>\u00a0Perfect.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

So, if you\u2019re going to read the whole thing from start to finish, here\u2019s the Grant Morrison Batman reading order you need:<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

1. Batman & Son<\/p>\n

2. Batman: The Black Glove<\/p>\n

3. Batman RIP<\/p>\n

4. Batman: Time And The Batman<\/p>\n

5. Batman & Robin Volume 1: Batman Reborn<\/p>\n

6. Batman & Robin Volume 2: Batman Vs Robin<\/p>\n

7. Batman & Robin Volume 3: Batman & Robin Must Die<\/p>\n

8. Batman: The Return Of Bruce Wayne<\/p>\n

9. Batman Incorporated Volume 1<\/p>\n

10. Batman Incorporated: Demon Star<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Why Grant Morrison’s 7 years on Batman have been the Caped Crusader’s finest<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":37271,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"MSN_Categories":"Uncategorized","MSN_Publish_Option":false,"MSN_Is_Local_News":false,"MSN_Is_AIAC_Included":"Empty","MSN_Location":"[]","MSN_Add_Feature_Img_On_Top_Of_Post":false,"MSN_Has_Custom_Author":false,"MSN_Custom_Author":"","MSN_Has_Custom_Canonical_Url":false,"MSN_Custom_Canonical_Url":""},"categories":[1,2616],"tags":[103,321,378],"acf":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.scifinow.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/file_205651_0_batmaninc8658.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.scifinow.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37270"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.scifinow.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.scifinow.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.scifinow.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/16"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.scifinow.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=37270"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.scifinow.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37270\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.scifinow.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/37271"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.scifinow.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=37270"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.scifinow.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=37270"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.scifinow.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=37270"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}