Batman # 663
Writer: Grant Morrison; Art: John Van Fleet; Type Design: Todd Klein;
So, I’m like the only person in the world who liked Batman 663. At least, according to Google I’m the only person who liked it. (Although, with Google’s multiple data centers and continuously rolling updates, you may see different results than me.) It wasn’t the greatest Batman story ever, but it did well what it set out to do.
As soon as I picked the issue up at the counter, I heard the sounds of a thousand bloggers at their keyboards and had a good idea of what they would be writing.
*** The story sucks!
There are a few places where the prose seems a bit overwrought, but it largely works. This is a Joker story, not a Batman story, and it’s written from the Joker’s point of view. Oh, yes, it seems like we’re getting Batman’s or Harley Quinn’s viewpoint, but what we’re actually reading is all of their viewpoints filtered through the Joker.
The Joker’s internal emotions and thoughts are described in much greater detail throughout the story. In fact, the Joker’s part in the story depicts much of his internal monologue, something which would only be known to the Joker. The descriptions of the other characters’ emotions are things which would be mostly discernable from their outward actions. It’s a subtle trick, but a trick that works to make this a more Joker-centered story than a simple first-person could be.
*** The art sucks!
In any other comic, yes, this art would suck more than Sucky S. McSuckyworth of Suckytown, but it does well in Batman 663. But, again, we’re reading this from the Joker’s viewpoint. The art should be weird and disturbing and out-of-place. It’s doing the same job as the prose, subtly tricking us into the Joker’s head.
*** The font is hard to read! It sucks!
Well, this one’s right on. The background needs to be much, much lighter for my eyes. It did distract from my enjoyment of the story.
Writers of comics everywhere: Be sure to consider the font and background contrast when publishing your next piece of prose. There are good reasons why we do dark fonts on very light backgrounds for novels, short stories, street signs, and word balloons. It just works.
*** I wanted a comic book not a short story! Sucks!
It’s three goddam dollars, or the rough equivalent in whichever country you live. Suck it up or don’t spend the three bucks. You’re getting something different, so give it a try and stop the whining or just put it back on the counter and move on.
3 responses so far ↓
1 Paperghost // Feb 27, 2007 at 12:29 pm
When I first picked this up, I thought cool, mini text story thing!
When I put it down, I was crying like a big sissy
I think I’d have been more inclined to like it if I didn’t self-induce a migraine trying to untangle the text from the horrendous backgrounds. Though some of the plot related stuffage didn’t sit right with me either (can’t remember it word for word, but that bit where Gordon goes off on a big rant about Joker in front of some police. Seems massively out of character to me).
On the bright side, it was better than all the parts of Civil War put together.
2 JP // Feb 28, 2007 at 1:34 pm
Yep, there were a few places (like the Gordon bit) where some editing would have helped. And we could strike about 20% of the adjectives without losing anything. But, other than the awful work with font readability, I don’t think the book quite reaches the abomination level characterized in many of the reviews out there.
But, DC, please, hire somebody to tell Grant Morrison “no” when he’s making something so hard to read. Contrast those fonts and background!
3 SkippyTheWarlock // Mar 1, 2007 at 6:51 pm
Actually, I quite liked it. I felt that the prose was a well-deserved break from the constant *wham-slam* style of Batman and Son, or (pardon me for changing the subject) the *Iron Man is evil again* storyline of Civil War.
Seriously, you can’t be angry at Grant Morrison. He’s a decent writer, and the background? That’s Todd Klein’s fault!
Really, the worst part (besides the backgroud) was the art. The creepiness wasn’t a problem (I love gothic art,) but it was POORLY CONSTRUCTED CG. And CG doesn’t belong in comics. That’s what this has taught me.
That’s when I really start to miss Neal Adams.
Do they have to change the Joker’s personality so drastically? Sure, he’s a cold-blooded killer, but now he’s gone completely insane…
That’s when I really start to miss Dennis O’Neal.