By Frank Miller and Jim Lee
Right off the bat--I know Frank Miller, and I like him a lot. He has done some amazing stuff with the character of Batman, albeit a little controversial in it's time, so I am assuming this is going to be uncomfortable for me as a Batman-lover, but that it will probably be damned good.
'But seriously--how can you not trust a guy this cool?
I like Jim Lee's work, though I haven't been overly exposed to it. The cover is really great, so that gives me a lot of hope for the issue. The alternate cover with Robin on the front is really well done too, though I am pretty unhappy with the amount of leg he is showing. It never made sense to me to have so much exposed skin in a fight because it increases your chances of getting injured, but since Robin has always been a bit of an acrobat, maybe they want the more brief costume to allow for more mobility. Though I am fairly certain that Bruce Wayne could bang together a pretty high-tech flexible trouser or leggings or something.
Okay, even as an ACTUAL acrobat in the circus with his family, his costume was cooler. More form fitting, but ditch the tank top and add a cape, and you have a pretty sweet sidekick wear.
Am I the only one that did not really appreciate the 360-oglefest of Vicki Vale? I get it--she's hot and she's in some panties. But do we really have to have a panel to focus on breasts, a panel to focus on ass, a panty panel...? It feels like they are trying to up the sexual interest in the comic and it feels forced--be more confident in the story you are telling and don't resort to cheap attention grabbers.
Or maybe I am just way off base and it's as simple as "Heh, cool--tits".
Vicki Vale keeps saying "I'm having a date with Bruce Wayne" over and over...sorry, sugar--you are not having a date with Bruce Wayne. Alfred just set up a booty call between the two of you. You spend too much time trying to figure out what outfit you are going to crumple up on the floor later.
People everywhere are looking horrified because it looks like a young boy is about to fall to his death in front of everyone, and Bruce looks mildly interested. Granted, Robin did save himself with Bat-tech, but would Bruce have reacted had it looked like Robin couldn't pull it off?? Would he have actually done something or just considered this a failed tryout for position as "sidekick"?
The scene where Dick is looking down at his dead parents--oddly beautiful in it's simplicity, and reminiscent of a young Bruce being orphaned.
All in all, not much characterization--just introducing a story we've all read before, but more political. I was right that I was uncomfortable, but that may have been my own perceptions--Vicki was implying that the cops of Gotham were crooked and prone to violence; but she talked of how every woman in Gotham knew the hands of the cops and who knew what they would do to a young boy...maybe it was my own paranoia, but it felt like they were implying molestation. Which freaked me out a great deal, because even the threat of it is upsetting.
Overall impressions:
I like that Frank Miller doesn't feel the need to do the artists' jobs as well. What I mean is that he relies on the artwork to tell the story, and so he is able to utilize fewer words to get his story across. I LOVE that in a comic--you don't see it much, maybe because the writer doesn't trust the artist, so there feels like there are a lot of superfluous dialouge that bog down the entire issue in so many comics. But what few words that Miller uses are all more impactful, and it blends with the artwork to make a strong story.
Vicki Vale I don't care much for. She seems stupid and reckless and more of a liability than anything else; plus she is SO blinded by her lust for Bruce Wayne that she is making a fool of herself. I don't know where she finds herself so entitled to be rude to Alfred--pushing him out of the way, hijacking his car...strong women are empowering and sexy; rude women are pushy and unlikable. Plus, as far as I can tell, she was going to watch whatever happened to Robin at the hands of the crooked cops and take pictures....I feel like they were trying to make her nurturing and mothering, but she came off more like a "story always comes first" reporter, which I am sick unto death of.
There seems to be a darkness to Bruce's personality that I am just beginning to feel. I could see him projecting himself on the young Grayson because of shared emotional trauma. I am wondering why Bruce was all ready interested in this boy--he doesn't seem like the type that wants a sidekick. Where would Dick have gotten the bat he used to save himself at the circus if not from Bruce directly? Have they all ready been in negotiations, in training? Also, wouldn't it be a bit of a liability to have a young boy use the obviously bat shaped device in such a public place? Those that would want to know Batman's secret identity would most likely target such a boy...would that explain why Dick's parents were murdered? Bruce didn't seem particularly shocked by the death--if he had contacted Dick in some way, he was probably aware that the Graysons would be a target. I would like to think that Batman wouldn't be actively hoping for it--after all, he is against killing, would he condone it if performed by another hand?--but if he was researching and studying this boy, a family would probably be an obstacle to Bruce getting his own little protege.
All dark thoughts, but that is generally what I took away from the issue. Which is impressive--a short issue causing that much thought is a great thing. I like comics that make you think.
Next post should be about the 2nd issue of this series =)
