What I Bought Today – Batman #14, Batgirl #14, Batman and Robin #14 (WARNING – SPOILERS)

So, went to the comic book shop today…Actually, I went twice, since the first time I went they didn’t have the new comics since Monday was a holiday and thus they hadn’t been delivered yet. So I went back later that day and picked up my comics for today. So let’s start off with Batman #14.

I’ll admit, after last month’s cliffhanger, a weekend of trolling from Scott Snyder (https://twitter.com/Ssnyder1835/status/267290321484922880), and a few preview images to pop up recently, I was scared to open this one. Why? Because I was horrified that Mr. Snyder planned to have Alfred murdered by the Joker. Good news, he’s alive. He’s been kidnapped and had his eyes burned with ammonia, but he’s alive. And as if that weren’t bad enough, Joker also manages to put Jim Gordon in a hospital bed and kill several MORE people before dropping a bombshell on the Bat Family: He knows who they all are, and he’s coming to kill them one by one, feeling they make Batman too soft. The stage is set as Joker begins his plot, and it honestly looks like not a single member of the team is even remotely safe.

Scotty, I gotta ask. Why do you seemingly have this insatiable desire to make your readers piss themselves in fear? lol Also, major props to Greg Capullo as always for taking this dark and gritty story and giving it just the right artwork for it.

Batman and Robin was alright. I like that it’s not JUST glorified filler, and that Joker does have a role in it, in that he was responsible for setting the villains of this book on Gotham. The problem is, I have no idea who or what these people are. This is becoming a problem with Batman and Robin, as ever since the initial arc ran up, it’s been small angles in between crossover events. They aren’t really bad, they just aren’t interesting enough to leave an impact. Damian isn’t really that much of a dick in this issue, thank goodness, and it is good to see them continuing to work with the family dynamic between Bruce and Damian. Still, we gotta have something more soon.

Batgirl. Okay, let me just get this out of the way first: They need to let Admira Wijaya do this series, not just the annual. I ADORED the artwork for Batgirl Annual #1, and while this issue doesn’t have bad artwork in any way, shape, or form, I still feel Admira’s was better. Just saying.

Anyway, as far as the story goes, HOLY FUCKING SHIT, this is creepy! Batgirl finds herself having to leave her new home and room-mate after Joker’s men attack her in a new spin on what happened to her years ago, all the while receiving sick, demented calls and tips from the Joker. However, after finding Joker and her mother at the roller rink with Joker whizzing around on roller blades (just because that’s the most fucked up yet funny thing he could be doing right now, lol), it seems she’s been had. It turns out her VERY fucked up in the head brother is the one on the phone with her, having led her right into Joker’s trap. However, it seems that death isn’t quite what’s on Joker’s mind for Batgirl. What does he really want with her? Well, lemme put it to ya this way: Check out next month’s cover…

Harley’s gonna go ballistic. O_O

…Get the idea? Anyway, that’s all for this week. Next week, I’ll look at Nightwing and Catwoman, and here’s hoping that they’re better than they were last month. Ja né!