Didn’t we have a discussion about comic books we were inspired to buy by the cover art alone? If so, I can’t find it now; perhaps it was on the old board. Anyway, B&B #13 is one such issue. The cover features multiple iterations of Robin (Dick Grayson, Jason Todd, Tim Drake, Stephanie Brown, Damien Wayne and Carrie Kelly), most taken from different points in the timeline by the Phantom Stranger in order to help the Batman, who has been shot trying to prevent a crime, actually in Crime Alley, similar to the killing of his parents. Batman has been placed in temporary magical stasis by the Stranger, and the title, “Batman Dies at Dawn” is an homage to the classic Silver Age “Robin Dies at Dawn.”
My favorite non-powered character in the Marvel universe is Rick Jones, and my favorite in the DCU is Robin… all of them. The story harkens back to the simpler style of a simpler age, and it’s the kind of story which I, for one, would prefer to see more often in the mainstream. The only thing keeping me from buying titles such as this on a routine basis is the cartoon-based art, which I wouldn’t have liked even whenI was a kid. This kind of story combined with a less juvenile art style would make for a near perfect super hero comic book.
I would recommend this comic to parents of young children, or to adults who don’t mind the cartoony art style.
Replies
I love the cartoony style...prefer it in fact...and the more "serious" art kept me from most superhero comics for a long time as a kid. The 1966 Batman show was being shown after school when I was young and that show actually got me to pick up Batman as one of my first non-Disney/non-Archie comic books. The cover of that one drew me in as it was a fight between Batman and Robin over Batman's relationship with a woman...Talia in this case. I remember thinking, I was around 10 at the time, "wow...are they really breaking up as a team? This is huge!". I didn't realize at that time that the Batman and Robin team had been broken up for some time by then. I loved the comic and it led me to Teen Titans and Avengers and so on.
Anyway...I really like the Johnny DC Batman books because the distill Batman and his world down to its basics without talking down to the reader. They're perfect comics for all-ages...just like the show it's based on. In fact, it's Grant Morrison's favorite Batman comic and he's brought on the writer to create the Smallville back-ups in Action Comics.
One thing...I'm surprised you dislike cartoony art, Jeff, given your love of comic strips.
Jeff of Earth-J said:
That would be this conversation over here: "Covers That MADE You Buy the Comic"
Here it is...
Doc Beechler (mod-MD) said:
Yeah, I'm funny that way.
And thanks for the link, CK! I was looking for that thread a couple of days ago to add a cover to it and couldn't find it. EDIT: Oh, I see now I was searching the wrong forum. I thought it was in this one!
Jeff of Earth-J said:
I've thought about it. I think I like simple stories with detailed art (comic books) or complex stories with simple art (comic strips). I even like complex stories with detailed art (which could be comic books or comic strips), but I don't really care for simple stories with simple art. Brave & Bold #13 is a good comic book, though.