Jyger’s Favourite 5 – 5 Favourite Moments From Scott Snyder’s Batman

Well, I’ve recently read the last issue of Scott Snyder’s Batman that I’ll be reading for a while, so now’s as good a time as any to look back on some of my favourite moments from this 40+ issue run (including annuals and whatnot). As always, these are in no particular listing of best to worst, and just like with my Favourite 5 for Superman Unchained, only one entry per issue, unless there’s a tie for which moment I liked best, in which case, they both share the same entry. So, let’s go ahead and start with…

#1 – The Burning Horse from Batman #16

This was probably the first time I actually had to physically ask the question “Scott…….what the hell is wrong with you?” XD I think what I love most about it is how it just comes outta nowhere, right as Batman is trying to size himself up for this confrontation with the Joker. Just imagine yourself being like “Okay, you got this, no matter what he throws at ya, you can’t let anythi-WHAT THE FUCK?!” And that’s not even the only horse to die horribly in this series. Hell, another one gets frozen and smashed IN THIS ISSUE! Seriously, Mr. Snyder, between this and your love of harming Alfred, were you assaulted as a child by an Englishman riding a horse or something?

#2 – Pretty Much ALL of Batman #5

As you know, I’m a big fan of the original Court of Owls story arc. Without a doubt, though, the highlight of that arc had to be Batman #5, as it’s probably the single creepiest comic I’ve ever read that isn’t explicitly supposed to be a horror comic (though with Scott Snyder, it’s hard to tell sometimes, lol). It’s not overly gross, it’s not filled with jump scares, it’s just this slow build of terror as we watch Bruce slowly but surely fall into madness. And even the hater of turning books on their side, Linkara, has gone on record as saying he approves this issue not only eventually turning on its side, but then turning upside down, as it’s symbolic of Bruce’s fractured mind becoming more-so as he goes crazier and crazier. I won’t spoil the whole thing, though. With that said, it’s a must read, especially if you love scary stories, which usually I’m not that big a fan of, but here, I LOVE it.

#3 – The Joker’s Reveal in Batman #36

While I think this ultimately takes a close second in terms of overall creep factor to Batman #5, this is nonetheless a terrifying moment as it’s revealed that Eric Border was actually The Joker in disguise all along. Looking back on it, yes, the clues were all there, but so subtly that, much like Batman, you didn’t realize it until it was far too late, and the way the scene builds up to the point where Joker is revealed is very much a scene filled with dread as the truth slowly dawns on you, that the man you thought was the ally was the greatest enemy. It’s gripping, it’s terrifying, it’s, for better or worse, the modern-day Joker.

#4 – Batman and Robin in Batman #17

You all know I like Damian, right? Good. Now, in Death of the Family, Joker had knocked out and captured Batman’s allies one by one, sat them around a table with their faces covered in bloody bandages, and presented them dinner platters with their faces staring up at them. So after Batman forces Joker into retreat and tends to them, he goes to Damian first. Now, most comic fans, when they’re reading a comic, will hear the character’s voice speaking in their head. As such, in this scene, you can hear Damian trying desperately to sound like the cocky little bastard he usually is, trying to be brave as his father removes the bandages, when the fact is, he’s a 10-year-old boy who believes he’s had his face surgically removed. And the relief that it was just a facsimile and that he was just fine under the bandages, followed by the hug between father and son, brings the emotional moment full circle. Plus, there’s the fact that this was just before he died in Batman Incorporated, so the emotion is made even more-so in hindsight. Scott, you might not have the best grip on Damian’s character, but you managed to come through just fine on the father-son dynamic here.

#5 – Detective Comics #27 Cover Recreation from Batman #24

…Yeah, you knew this was gonna make it on here. lol What can I say? It’s an AWESOME recreation of the cover art where the world first laid eyes on The Dark Knight and said “Wow, that looks cool”. EVERYTHING about this two page spread is frakking perfect. If I could, I’d blow it up and put it on my wall…and then I’d put Wonder Woman on her pegasus in Batman/Superman on another wall. XD Zero Year, you may have taken FOREVER to get finished, but my God, did you leave the most epic of moments for us to remember you by.

And those are my 5 Favourite Scott Snyder’s Batman Moments……….Now for the honourable mentions! 😀 Oh, and no rulings with these ones, so anything goes.

Batman Plays Chopper vs Chopper in Batman #2

There’s just something about that grin of his as he’s about to launch the Batpod off the train at these poor bastards that makes me go “FUCK YEAH!”

Batman and Bane’s Fastball Special from Batman #40

I find it simultaneously amusing and awesome that Bane has gone from the man who broke the bat to being the Colossus to his Wolverine.

“I AM IRON BAT” from Batman #8

…Admit it, you thought it too. lol

Bruce and Dick in Batman #2

I just think this scene is too cute. “Come on, Dick, you know me better than nearly anyone. We’ve been through so much together……Of course I checked the cameras to make sure you weren’t a horrible murderer. What the fuck is wrong with you?” XD

Stephanie Brown Reveal in Batman #28

The moment where I realized that not only was Stephanie Brown going to be back in Batman Eternal, but she was going to play a big role…..ish. Well, okay, that’s a debate for another time.

Alfred’s Monologue in Batman #24

Yeah, Snyder’s definitely taken a cue from the version of Alfred from the Dark Knight trilogy when it comes to Alfred’s speeches, but regardless, this is a good one, where he sums up exactly why people have rarely managed to tie Batman and Bruce Wayne as being the same person.

Batman vs Joker in Batman #40

What could very well prove to be the final battle between Batman and Joker. Just a warning, though: It’s not for the faint of heart.

The Goddamn Batman from Batman #29

That moment where I just laughed, shook my head, and said “Scott, you just couldn’t resist, could you?” XD

Anyway, I think that’s enough for now. Got one that’s not on here? Lemme know what your favourite moments of this series were in the comments below. Ja né, and long live the Dark Knight!

My Thoughts on Batman #40 – Ha (WARNING – SPOILERS)

“…The story of Batman is, and always will be, a TRAGEDY. Bruce would never have let it be anything else. Batman COULD live forever. He could escape. But he doesn’t. He DIES, just like every one of us, even though he doesn’t have to. That’s his flaw. But it’s also his greatest strength. The very thing that makes him immortal. He says, we’re in this together. He says, live bravely in the time you have and smile at the void. That’s why the note says what it does. Why it’s only one word. Why Batman’s last message is, and will always be…’Ha’.”

I was going back and forth in my head as to whether or not to do an official review of this comic or not. Finally, I decided to just give my own thoughts on the big game changer of the ending, mainly because I want others to read this comic, and because it’s the hot button subject. As you’ve no doubt gathered by the quote at the beginning, Bruce Wayne is believed to be dead, as is the Joker. Was the Joker immortal after all? Doesn’t look like it. There was a LOT of evidence suggesting he was, but I don’t think he was, meaning Snyder instead created a situation where it would be so easy to believe he is, but turned out he wasn’t. Also, I will say that it was a BRUTAL fight between Batman and Joker, and could very easily be the final battle between them, because I don’t see them topping this, and I’m not sure I want anyone to try with these two. And, assuming that Batman DID somehow manage to survive the fight, he’s lost his left eye, so either he’ll need an eye-patch or a cybernetic implant of some sort.

Now, let’s be honest, from one Batman fan to another. This is not the end of Bruce Wayne’s story. I am not eulogizing him like I did Damian. Why? Because it was actually kinda ambiguous as to whether Damian would be back or not. But Bruce Wayne, even if he’s really dead (and that actually wouldn’t shock me, all things considered), is not staying dead. Why? Because DC will never let that happen, regardless of if it would be a good or bad thing to bring him back. Bruce Wayne is DC Comics’ meal ticket, and they will not let him die and stay dead. Hell, there’s an interview with Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo where they pretty much all but outright admit that Bruce will be back someday. Jim Gordon being Batman certainly will not last. That’s an idea you might wanna experiment with, maybe even do as an Elseworlds story, but there’s no way Jim fucking Gordon is gonna be Batman’s permanent replacement. Hell, Bruce is still in the Justice League books, for crying out loud! And I know DC is planning to have a looser continuity (meaning the editors have one less thing they’re actually SUPPOSED to do, and therefore have more time to interfere in storylines), but gimme a break!

So, all of that said, is this a bad comic? Hell no! This was great! Again, I don’t wanna tell ya too much, but the final battle between Batman and Joker was epic and brutal, and the rest of the book was pretty freaking awesome too. There’s one moment, and I can talk about this because it’s in the preview, where Batman and Bane do the frigging Fastball Special. THAT’S AWESOME! XD And, in the end, you gotta judge this book by its own merits, and ultimately, regardless of whether or not this all gets undone later on, right here and now, this was a GREAT final stand of Batman and his allies (and enemies, for that matter) against Gotham’s greatest nightmare.

So yes, this issue gets a thumbs up from me. What’s coming next…….ehh…Like I said, I’m sure it’ll be well-written, because it’s Scott Snyder. But it’s still not a premise I’m on board with. Now, with that said, I’ll still be posting links to the previews for the ensuing issues and showing my support, because Snyder and Capullo have earned that from me. And hey, just because this isn’t for me doesn’t mean that NO ONE should be giving it a chance, right? So, I guess for me, this is my exit (at least for now) from what remains, in my opinion, still the undisputed best book from the start of The New 52 all the way to its finish (because the official branding of The New 52, regardless of continuity, ends in June): Scott Snyder’s Batman.

“I’m afraid…he’s spoken for.”

And that’s Batman #40. Check in tomorrow, though, as I give the last DC related blog entry for one month (because May is gonna be all Marvel) with my 5 Favourite Moments From Scott Snyder’s Batman. Ja né!

A-Force #1 Early Preview

…Well, I guess Marvelous May is getting started a couple of days early here on Jyger’s Rant, because here’s an early preview of May 20th’s A-Force #1!

• Marvel’s Mightiest Women finally get their own explosive series!
• In a secluded corner of the Battleworld, an island nation is fiercely protected by a team of Avengers the likes of which has only ever been glimpsed before…
• Fighting to protect the small sliver of their world that’s left, the Amazing A-FORCE stands shoulder-to-shoulder, ready to take on the horde!

http://www.comicbookresources.com/comic-previews/a-force-1-marvel-comics-2015

Next Month On Jyger’s Rant: Marvelous May

…Yup, I’m doing a theme month. lol I even made a temporary background for the month of May.

See if you can name ’em all! 😀

So yeah, next month is Marvelous May, a term I’m almost 100% sure has been used a billion times before. One month dedicated to nothing but Marvel-related news, stories, and so on. I’m gonna be talking about Age of Ultron when I go to see it, I’m gonna be talking about Free Comic Book Day and the preview book for All-New, All-Different Avengers, and I’ll be reminiscing about some Marvel-related TV shows that I’ve watched, and what I liked and didn’t like about ’em. And, as usual, I’ll be giving links to previews of Marvel comics that I buy throughout the month of May (which works out well, because other than Sensation Comic feat. Wonder Woman, I don’t think there are any DC books I’m getting next month), and I will TRY my damnest to get in some reviews if at all possible.

Oh man, if this is the state of Marvel superhero teams post-Secret Wars (plus the X-Men and Guardians of the Galaxy, of course), the future’s looking pretty good. 🙂

Anyway, feel free to leave some suggestions of Marvel-related topics I can talk about next month, and be sure to follow along with me throughout Marvelous May. Ja né!

All-New, All-Different Avengers Advertisement

A video I made advertising the upcoming All-New, All-Different Avengers for Free Comic Book Day. I would just like to say, for the record, YouTube video editor SUCKS. HARD. -_-

Batman #40 Preview + My Thoughts On The New Batman Direction (WARNING – SPOILERS)

So, let’s get the Batman #40 preview out of the way first, because I got a lot to talk about afterward.

• The finale of “Endgame” is here! Batman risks everything against The Joker! Who will laugh last?

http://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2015/04/exclusive-preview-batman-40.html

Now that that’s outta the way, I should probably clarify something I talked about this past Monday. If you haven’t heard, following the DC event Convergence, there’s gonna be a massive change to the Bat-related books. Long story short, Bruce Wayne is apparently being replaced by someone in a GCPD-owned Batman mech suit of sorts. And, according to information that was leaked from the Free Comic Book Day special, Divergence, the person replacing him is none other than the individual guessed and feared it would be: James Gordon, and for some reason, he’s apparently shaved off his mustache and has a mohawk. WHAT?! O_O

Okay, real talk: Of all the points where they could potentially do something like this with Jim Gordon, now is probably one of the better ones. Why? Because he’s not Gotham City Police Commissioner Gordon anymore. That position is now held by Maggie Sawyer. Why does that factor into this at all? Because otherwise, we’d have him as a stand-in for Batman AND be Commissioner. And let’s be honest, that’d be stupid as all hell. On top of that, this move could conceivably be where Jim finally finds out about Babs being Batgirl. And, again, of all times where he could find out “OMG, you’ve been a costumed vigilante this whole time and never told me?!”, this is the best time for it, because she can literally just look at him in the robo Batsuit and go “…Really?”

With all of that said, the question I’m sure everyone that reads my blog and has heard me go on and on about how much I love Scott Snyder’s Batman and how great it is, to the point where I’m sure I’ve made someone’s ear bleed, is probably “So, are you gonna be reading this?”…….No. No, I’m not gonna be reading this. Why? Because just because this is the best timing if you were to do this, that doesn’t mean you should do it at all. And while I’m sure it’ll be well written, because it IS Scott Snyder after all, it nonetheless is not a concept that clicks with me personally. And I don’t know whose idea this was, be it Snyder or DC higher-ups. Frankly, either way wouldn’t shock me. And I don’t want you to think that I’m some Bruce Wayne purist who can’t see anyone else in the cowl. I liked the idea of Dick Grayson standing in when he did, especially in his team-up with Damian as Robin. I liked the idea of Flashpoint universe Batman being Thomas Wayne (though not so much in Earth 2). And do I even need to bring up Terry McGinnis? But Jim Gordon? REALLY? I’d sooner read about Tim Drake as Batman, albeit probably not in the upcoming Batman Beyond book. But the point is, of all the people I can see as a potential replacement/stand-in as Batman for Bruce Wayne, Gordon’s near the bottom of the list.

So, yeah, as much as it pains me to do this, because Scott Snyder is still one of my favourite writers, I’m gonna be dropping Batman after next week’s issue. Will it be forever? Probably not, mainly because I don’t see this change lasting for too long. I give it a year tops. And y’know, it’s funny that this is happening, given my previous statements regarding the All-New, All-Different Avengers book, and how, when it came to this book, you could either get on board or get out of the way. Well, this is me saying I’m getting out of the way. That said, though, because Scott Snyder IS still one of my favourite writers, I will still be posting links to the exclusive previews for Batman, since I’m sure others might wish to remain on board with this new direction.

Anyway, those are my two cents on the matter. Lemme know what you think about all of this, and we’ll see how this pans out in the months to come. Ja né!

ROAD TO ULTRON 6 of 6: The MCU story so far

SUPER MOVIE MANIAC

I’ll finally be watching Avengers Age of Ultron in less than 24 hours! I thought it was time to finish my ‘Road to Ultron’ series. Me and my sister watch all of the films in the MCU before we go to the cinema to watch the latest one. This takes longer and longer every time due to the fact there’s more films to watch!

For all those soon to watch the film too I thought it would be a good idea to show the story so far. The proper order of the films goes, Ironman, The Incredible Hulk, Ironman 2, Thor, Captain America the First Avenger, The Avengers, Ironman 3, Thor the Dark World, Captain America the Winter Soldier and Guardians of the Galaxy. What I’m going to do is put Captain America the First Avenger first because it’s set before the rest. I’m also going to slot Guardians of…

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My Thoughts On The Batman V Superman Trailer

…It sucks. Ja né!

Actually, that’s not really fair, especially because I can look at everyone in the trailer and can instantly tell they are trying so hard to make us care and like this. It’s failing epically, but they’re trying so hard that it’s actually kinda tragic. And then I see a remake of the trailer with Christopher Reeve and Adam West in place of Henry Cavill and Ben Affleck. And I don’t know if that edit was done because the person just wanted to do it for fun, or they legitimately thought that Reeve and West would look better than Cavill and Affleck. Well, if it’s the latter, and I really hope it isn’t, I have this to say: You’re failing to miss the bigger problem. Yes, Reeve and West are legendary as those characters, and the more bright and shining costume for Superman DEFINITELY looks better than the one Cavill’s wearing. However, you can stick all the Reeve and West you want in this trailer, but it will not improve it so long as the overall tone is kept intact, and THAT is where the problem lies. And what’s funny is that I was actually gonna skip out on giving my thoughts and opinions on this trailer, but seeing that edit made me realize all the problems with it all over again, and I had to get it out.

First off, before I go too deep in what’s wrong with the trailer, I’ll go one step better than some people are willing to go in terms of what’s good: I thought Ben Affleck looked AWESOME in this trailer. He looks dark and wounded, not just from the usual standpoint of Bruce Wayne’s tragic past, but as someone who, if we can trust background info on this movie, has been operating as Batman for years now. And he looks great in both of the Batsuits, which also look AWESOME. The main one he wears looks dark and gritty, which Batman works well with, and having the shorter ears was definitely a plus. The armoured suit also looks pretty cool, and I gotta say, it’s nice to see a live-action Batsuit that has default lens built into the cowl.

So, yes, Batman looks awesome in this, as I knew he would………and therein lies a big part of the problem: Batman looks great and very faithful to the character, Superman doesn’t. And here’s where I KNEW they were gonna screw this up. Superman still looks dark as shit, when you have these two characters who, in appearance, should be polar opposites look like they both get their costumes from the same shop, that’s a problem. Do I even need to bring THIS up?

Oh, but don’t think that they didn’t find a way to screw up Batman in this trailer just because Affleck looks awesome. What was that truly inspiring dialogue Batman had for Superman in this movie? “Do you bleed?…You WILL.” WOW, DC. WOW, Warner Bros. The ONE GUY you knew how to market, and you still found a way to fuck it up. Bravo, dear friends, you are truly the corn of the crap. And on top of that, there’s the voice. It’s just WRONG, in every conceivable way. Like, the reason I always bought it with Bale is because he’s supposed to be a younger, more inexperienced Batman who uses dark, growly voices and tries to sound more openly threatening than just being subtly intimidating because he’s still new to the job. Mind you, that only went as far as Dark Knight. Dark Knight Rises, it was eight years later, and he was still doing this shit. Affleck, however, is supposed to be an older Batman who has been doing this for many years, and yet he’s still doing THE VOICE. So, for those wondering who to blame the continuously worsening voice that Christian Bale used in the Dark Knight Trilogy on, I think you’ve got your answer.

And then there’s the bit of what I am assuming (I’m hoping to God I’m wrong for reasons I’ll make clear in a moment) to be the Batwing blowing up a car and presumably the guy standing next to it. Y’know, even ignoring the rule about how Batman shouldn’t kill people, because they clearly didn’t give a shit about that when Supes snapped Zod’s neck, there’s a problem at play: I was under the assumption that Batman was going up against Superman because he felt he was too dangerous, regardless of if his intentions are good or not. However, if that’s Batman, BATMAN, killing a man in an explosion, then clearly, they BOTH have the same reckless, dangerous approach! So why are they even fighting?!

Then there’s stuff about the statue of Superman with “FALSE GOD” spray painted onto it, analysts going into detail about what he is or should be doing with his powers, and the big one to me, the military guys with what appear to be Superman logos on their uniforms kneeling to the Man of Steel…I’m not gonna go into that too much, mainly because Angry Joe pretty much already said everything I could think to say about it, which you should totally go check out. It’s a really good analysis of the trailer, both good and bad points. Although, I DID consider that another possibility, besides this being extremists taking Superman’s status to levels beyond what he personally wants and then having what they do pinned on him by Lex Luthor and the media, is that this COULD be a dream sequence. This could be Batman having nightmares and worrying about where Superman is taking the world. And really, Batman DOES kinda have that paranoia about him where I could conceivably see him worrying over that. I’d need more than just that to justify a confrontation between the two, but it’d be a start at least.

Getting back to Angry Joe’s take on the trailer, though, I will say that, yes, it is possible that this trailer has been doctored up a bit to make this movie seem potentially darker than it could conceivably be. However, with all due love and respect for Joe Vargas, there’s one little problem I think you’ve kinda overlooked: That would imply that the people in charge of making this movie, as well as the cinematic universe they’re attempting to create from it, have any idea what they’re doing, and I think that they’ve conclusively proven that they don’t. I asked the question “Why are they even fighting?” if they apparently are so frigging similar in this movie. Is it because Superman’s a powerful figure and that extremists might be taking his persona, emblem, and status, and doing the wrong thing with them? Yeah, because no one has EVER done that with Batman’s. The Dark Knight, a movie that one can actually make argument for being the best Goddamn superhero movie of all time, which YOU, Warner Bros. and DC, were the ones that fucking MADE IT, had one of its first scenes feature Batman having to confront copycat vigilantes that were taking his attempt to inspire others to fight injustice and going the wrong way with it. Does Superman show up to put the beating on Batman for that? No. Why? Well, for one thing, Superman’s not that naive nor stupid. But for another, he wasn’t in that movie, because they decided to do more than a single movie to establish Batman. Gosh, kinda feels like they shoulda done that with Superman too, instead of making the sequel to Man of Steel be a launching pad for a cinematic universe because DC and Warner Bros. want to compete with Marvel Studios. And it’s COSTING THEM. It’s costing them, because they’re making these decisions without really thinking them out. They have, as the launching pad for their cinematic universe, a movie about Superman and Batman fighting for reasons I don’t totally get, while also having Wonder Woman as a supporting character, and featuring cameos by Aquaman and Cyborg, and at some point, we find out Lex Luthor’s the villain they need to fight. That’s a lot for one movie, especially one that’s just supposed to be the prologue for Justice League. THEY DON’T KNOW WHAT THEY’RE DOING.

So, in closing, this trailer sucked in all the ways I feared it would suck, which tells me that the movie is going to suck in all the ways I fear it will suck. And if WB and DC doesn’t figure that out, then their entire cinematic universe will suck. But hey, I suppose it could be a lot worse, right? I mean, we could have Superman without his cape with a military cut and shades of a beard alongside Jim Gordon with a mohawk and no mustache wearing an armoured GCPD Batsuit. But no one would ever be stupid enough to write a story like tha-

Batman/Superman Post-Convergence

……..Y’know, I’m not 100% sure, but I think I kinda hate DC nowadays. -_-

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Oh, and is anyone else sick to death of the Hans Zimmer horn yet? lol

 

 

Search for missing Fredericton-area man ramps in near Chipman

Ms. Marvel #14 Preview

Y’all know the drill. It’s time to get an early look at the next chapter in the adventures of the future Avenger, Kamala Khan, in Ms. Marvel #14!

• There’s a new kid in town… and he’s cute.

• What are those feelings, Kamala Khan? It’s called a crush.

http://www.comicbookresources.com/comic-previews/ms-marvel-14-marvel-comics-2015