The first time I laid my eyes on this cover while I was browsing through the shelves, I was stunned. It took me a few minutes to understand what about it seemed familiar or reminiscent at first glance. I was standing directly in front of it too and I felt a guy beside me, looking at it and then taking a copy as gently as he could as if not to disturb me (which was a courteous gesture, I'll give him that) but I unfortunately disturbed him when I announced (in a louder voice than I should have; I had my earphones on) "BABEL!" And then I looked at him abruptly and he just went wide-eyed for a while, then looked down at his copy and then back at me and replied, "You mean the JLA story?" I just nodded sheepishly. He smiled and nodded back, and it was getting awkward already. And then I did not even take a copy from the shelf AT ALL because I didn't bring my wallet that day and had to go back the very next day to purchase this.
So that's why I minimalize my contact with other people in Comic Odyssey as much as I can; not to be an evasive weirdo or anything...I just know that when I start talking about Batman, I won't stop.
But I digress. Anyone who follows DC comics and the New 52 titles and read announcements online should know what Scott Snyder's newest story arc for Batman is about so there really is no need for me to bury the lead, right? So I won't. THE JOKER IS COMING BACK. And goddammit, so is Damian Wayne for Peter J. Tomasi's Batman and Robin title. If there is one thing that makes my insides weep other than favorite fictional characters getting killed off, it's probably when they COME BACK. After the events in Death of the Family, I don't really think this development would surprise anyone. It's the fucking Joker after all. I literally just read this issue an hour ago and could not come up with anything coherent to say in a review until I took a nap for fifteen minutes and came back here again online. I don't know how I feel about things anymore. Not that I'm not happy with the developments especially since the Clown Prince of Crime and my favorite Boy Wonder will be returning to grace me with their presence--I just can't deal with how it's going to affect me. Look, Snyder and Tomasi are my favorite writers for New 52 right now. Tomasi's Robin Rises has been stellar so far. Now Snyder is doing his own awesome thing and opened with such a tremendously beguiling and suspenseful issue such as Endgame and I think I'm not ready for any of this to take fruition! The mixture of dread and anticipation makes me want to vomit, and it's getting under my skin now. It's a deliciously terrible and terribly delicious feeling! OKAY?!
This issue, they say, also includes spoilers from Batman Eternal but since I'm only on the 21st issue two days ago, I frankly didn't notice anything which stood out for me. When I do get back to Eternal, something might just click in my head and hopefully it won't really dilute my enjoyment for that series after reading this. Anyway, this was once again a collaborative effort among Snyder, Capullo, Miki and Plascenscia (a team who should have a full-sized poster sitting around together AND I will buy and nail that shit to my door because I fucking love the work they have done in Zero Year). JLA makes an appearance and everything definitely feels like Tower of Babel only with a different twist that leaves my mouth watering and my eyes popping from my sockets. And then there was Tynion's back-up story that lasted eight pages which I really didn't mind but I am, however, interested to know about the FIVE STORIES ON HOW THE JOKER CAME BACK, and the fact that only one of them is true. A multiple-choice concerning the Joker? Please, give me more. I wonder if that's how they're going to do it in the next issues, that Tynion will span a tale from each patient as to how the Joker survived and secretly planned his return to Gotham. That would be fantastic!
I have nothing more to say. I'm going to start reading John Layman's Detective Comics now so I can rinse off the abomination of Daniel's earlier issues from my Bat-palate. I feel almost feverish for what is to come for my two favorite Bat-titles. I might punch a mirror. I can't promise I'll behave, let alone react, normally.
RECOMMENDED: 9/10
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