Scan barcode
dantastic's review against another edition
2.0
Batman gets cut by one of the Black Glove's minions on the first page, drugging him in the process. A little later, Jezebel Jet (who wouldn't have spotted a girl named Jezebel as being linked with the villains?) utters a code word Dr. Hurt implanted in Batmans' subconscious during an isolation experiment years ago (see Batman: The Black Glove) and the shit hits the fan. The Bruce Wayne part of Batman's psyche is completely eclipsed by the Batman portion. Batman goes on a rampage in a patchwork costume and finally catches up to the Black Glove at Arkham Asylum. He's consequently defeated and buried alive. But even being buried alive isn't enough to stop Batman...
I didn't like this one as much as the The Black Glove and here's why. First of all, you knew the vague ending was letting the door open for Bruce Wayne to return, even though Nightwing looked pretty impressive in the final shot holding Batman's cowl. Secondly, the two stories that followed, also in this volume, showed Batman surviving the helicopter crash. God forbid the fanboys think Batman might be dead for longer than ten minutes. THEN, Batman is "killed" by Darkseid in Final Crisis. It seems like they would have been better off leaving him "dead" at the end of RIP. The ending was vague enough that a return would have been believeable. However they end up bringing him back after Final Crisis (and they will) is going to be hokey as hell.
I'd highly recommend skipping the last two stories in this book. If you do and never read another Batman comic again, you can pretend something actually happened. Otherwise, it's just another example of why comics will never rise above their pro-wrestling type status with the general public. Nothing ever really happens that won't be undone later.
I didn't like this one as much as the The Black Glove and here's why. First of all, you knew the vague ending was letting the door open for Bruce Wayne to return, even though Nightwing looked pretty impressive in the final shot holding Batman's cowl. Secondly, the two stories that followed, also in this volume, showed Batman surviving the helicopter crash. God forbid the fanboys think Batman might be dead for longer than ten minutes. THEN, Batman is "killed" by Darkseid in Final Crisis. It seems like they would have been better off leaving him "dead" at the end of RIP. The ending was vague enough that a return would have been believeable. However they end up bringing him back after Final Crisis (and they will) is going to be hokey as hell.
I'd highly recommend skipping the last two stories in this book. If you do and never read another Batman comic again, you can pretend something actually happened. Otherwise, it's just another example of why comics will never rise above their pro-wrestling type status with the general public. Nothing ever really happens that won't be undone later.
clarks_dad's review against another edition
2.0
This review will be for both The Black Glove and for Batman R.I.P.:
So what if there was a super-super-super criminal mastermind that has been following and manipulating Batman from the very beginning? Orchestrating his every move, his every love affair, his every nemesis to bring him to one final moment where they can break him?
Sound awesome?
Yeah, not so much. I was really disappointed by Morrison's work on this series. This event sets up major, major changes in the Batman universe. Is Batman dead? So far, the signs are pointing to yes. He's been missing from all the major Batman titles for all of 2009 so far. In fact, the entire story line in the Batman universe right now is consumed by the Battle for the Cowl, in which people are fighting over the right to take over the mantle of the Dark Knight, which is fascinating, and an awesome premise.
I think my main complaint is with execution. This is a trade paperback, which collects a series of single issues into one volume to convey the main story. But the problem with tpbs, as opposed to graphic novels, is that often there are side stories in other issues that concern side characters that are not included. When read together, without those missing pieces, the story often feels like it is rushed, and has huge holes missing in it. I think that that is the case with this series, just as it was for Marvel's Civil War tpb, in which Captain America dies. Again, awesome story, but too big to put into a 100 page trade.
The story revolves around the mysterious Black Hand and begins with several flashbacks to past events in the Batman universe in which he encounters references to this man/organization, which make no sense whatsoever put together. It turns out the Black Hand is a terrorist/gambling society that intends to make a spectacle of the demise of Batman for the sake of rich people who have nothing better to do with their money than place ridiculously high bets on high-stakes situations. The Black Hand places evidence of a sordid past in the local tabloids about Thomas and Martha Wayne, destroying their reputations with evidence of drug addiction and crazy swinger parties, even dropping the suggestion that Alfred may indeed be Bruce's father. They also manage to implant psychological triggers in Batman's mind so that they can induce a psychotic break, which they do, and shoot him up with heroine and leave him on the streets with no recollection of who he is, take over the Bat-cave and beat Alfread to a pulp, take the original Robin, now Nightwing and lock him up in Arkham and hunt down and almost kill Tim Drake, the current Robin.
So far so good. I like it.
Then the rushing stuff happens and Morrison does this weird post-modern thing where he illustrates and narrates Bruce's psychotic break by mixing in real and imagined events, past, present and future events in a jumble he believes is story-telling, but in reality is just headahce inducing garbagé (yes, it's so bad I want it to sound French). Anyway, long story short is that this story is just poorly told, but based on a solid concept: what would happen if Batman finally caved to the enormous psychological pressure he must be facing? 2 stars for the mysterious disappearance and the set-up of the next chain of events in which I'm sure, inevitably, Batman will be found alive and well and probably in charge of orchestrating the whole series of events so that he could flush out said arch-nemeses. I am disappointed. However, I read this more as a set-up of the universe-shattering events of Final Crisis, which is supposed to be the DC event of 2008 and set-up for changes in my most favorite character, Superman. :) And for the record: I really, really hope Dick Grayson (Robin #1) becomes Batman.
So what if there was a super-super-super criminal mastermind that has been following and manipulating Batman from the very beginning? Orchestrating his every move, his every love affair, his every nemesis to bring him to one final moment where they can break him?
Sound awesome?
Yeah, not so much. I was really disappointed by Morrison's work on this series. This event sets up major, major changes in the Batman universe. Is Batman dead? So far, the signs are pointing to yes. He's been missing from all the major Batman titles for all of 2009 so far. In fact, the entire story line in the Batman universe right now is consumed by the Battle for the Cowl, in which people are fighting over the right to take over the mantle of the Dark Knight, which is fascinating, and an awesome premise.
I think my main complaint is with execution. This is a trade paperback, which collects a series of single issues into one volume to convey the main story. But the problem with tpbs, as opposed to graphic novels, is that often there are side stories in other issues that concern side characters that are not included. When read together, without those missing pieces, the story often feels like it is rushed, and has huge holes missing in it. I think that that is the case with this series, just as it was for Marvel's Civil War tpb, in which Captain America dies. Again, awesome story, but too big to put into a 100 page trade.
The story revolves around the mysterious Black Hand and begins with several flashbacks to past events in the Batman universe in which he encounters references to this man/organization, which make no sense whatsoever put together. It turns out the Black Hand is a terrorist/gambling society that intends to make a spectacle of the demise of Batman for the sake of rich people who have nothing better to do with their money than place ridiculously high bets on high-stakes situations. The Black Hand places evidence of a sordid past in the local tabloids about Thomas and Martha Wayne, destroying their reputations with evidence of drug addiction and crazy swinger parties, even dropping the suggestion that Alfred may indeed be Bruce's father. They also manage to implant psychological triggers in Batman's mind so that they can induce a psychotic break, which they do, and shoot him up with heroine and leave him on the streets with no recollection of who he is, take over the Bat-cave and beat Alfread to a pulp, take the original Robin, now Nightwing and lock him up in Arkham and hunt down and almost kill Tim Drake, the current Robin.
So far so good. I like it.
Then the rushing stuff happens and Morrison does this weird post-modern thing where he illustrates and narrates Bruce's psychotic break by mixing in real and imagined events, past, present and future events in a jumble he believes is story-telling, but in reality is just headahce inducing garbagé (yes, it's so bad I want it to sound French). Anyway, long story short is that this story is just poorly told, but based on a solid concept: what would happen if Batman finally caved to the enormous psychological pressure he must be facing? 2 stars for the mysterious disappearance and the set-up of the next chain of events in which I'm sure, inevitably, Batman will be found alive and well and probably in charge of orchestrating the whole series of events so that he could flush out said arch-nemeses. I am disappointed. However, I read this more as a set-up of the universe-shattering events of Final Crisis, which is supposed to be the DC event of 2008 and set-up for changes in my most favorite character, Superman. :) And for the record: I really, really hope Dick Grayson (Robin #1) becomes Batman.
mazloum's review against another edition
4.0
Fantastic graphic novel. I received The Black Glove as a birthday present a few months ago, and it whetted my appetite for what would come afterwards. So, I picked this up immediately, and I was not disappointed.
The deconstruction of Batman as he comes under attack by the voracious Black Glove is absolutely enthralling, especially when it reaches its unexpected climax. Some might say that the book requires a certain suspension of disbelief with regards to Bruce Wayne's...let's call it paranoid nature. But, you know, this IS a comic book.
Of course, I'd be remiss to not mention the Joker, who's well into his 'Clown At Midnight' persona: a grim, murderous existence that you cannot help but fear a little. However, his monologue near the very end is nothing short of pure brilliance. Gotta love the Joker.
So, yes, pick this up as soon as you can. It's great.
The deconstruction of Batman as he comes under attack by the voracious Black Glove is absolutely enthralling, especially when it reaches its unexpected climax. Some might say that the book requires a certain suspension of disbelief with regards to Bruce Wayne's...let's call it paranoid nature. But, you know, this IS a comic book.
Of course, I'd be remiss to not mention the Joker, who's well into his 'Clown At Midnight' persona: a grim, murderous existence that you cannot help but fear a little. However, his monologue near the very end is nothing short of pure brilliance. Gotta love the Joker.
So, yes, pick this up as soon as you can. It's great.
ark07's review against another edition
4.0
El ver a Batman como unas jodidas maracas ha estado gracioso
sassyporcupine's review against another edition
1.0
Far from the best Batman graphic novel I have ever read. convoluted and hard to follow.
lunchlander's review against another edition
1.0
I wanted to like this, but... the art is really weak, and the story is a jumble of ideas without a strong plot. It's much better to hear folks talk about it than to actually read.
vigneswara_prabhu's review against another edition
4.0
Preceded by: Batman- The Black Glove
Succeeded by: Final Crisis
Rating 4 out of 5 | Grade: A; I’m the Gorram Batman (of Zur-en-aarh)
Grant Morrison clearly subscribes to the Alan Moore school of storytelling. Which is psychedelics, dreams, bizarre mindscapes, non-linear storytelling, and a pinch of WTF did I just read.
Following the events of Batman: The Black Glove, the torment in which he had to endure some serious psychological trauma (which seeing as this is Batman, is just another Tuesday for him), plus some hypnotic manipulation from Dr. Hurt, leader of the Black Glove, causes Batman’s psyche to become shattered after hearing the trigger phrase ‘Zur-en-arrh’.
This causes him to fall back to an emergency psyche which he had created just for the eventuality of someone messing with his mind. Because, why wouldn’t he, this is the goddamn Batman, the guy who prepares for every possibility. Thus emerges the Batman of Zur-en-arrh, who, along with Bat-mite, his trusted sidekick/ figment of his imagination, goes on autopilot, doing what Batman does best. Being the world’s best detective, sniffing out those who did this to him, and making them pay to hell & high water.
One thing that I really liked about this story is how far you can take the whole ‘Batman is always prepared’ meme. In the story, the villains hypnotize Batman so that his psyche crumbles upon hearing a trigger phase. Little did they know, good ol Bats had already anticipated this outcome, rather one where some super villain was trying to mind control him (hmm, I wonder if the thought came to him, after seeing the same being done to Superman, over & over & over. Seriously, if anyone needs protection against mental incursion, it’s the big blue scout, who also happens to be a walking nuke)
So, this resulted in the birth of ‘The Batman of Zur-en-arrh’, who is a completely amnesiatic Bruce Wayne, guided by a figmental hallucinatory Batmite (or is he), who retraces his steps, all the way back to the perpetrators of his current state. And they, the Black glove, despite recruiting the services of the Joker, might soon find themselves inadequate to the task of bearing his fury.
For Batman R.I.P, Grant Morrison borrows heavily from the golden age of Batman comics. From the aforementioned ‘Batman of Zur-en-aagh’, to Batmite, to several characters in Batman. Inc. Similar to his reinterpretation of Animal Man, he is able to take the various iterations and aspects of the fictional character’s biography, and weave them into a mind mending Freudian tapestry, exploring the all too complex and fragile psyche of someone, who is often referred to as being the peak in human conditioning.
The one shortcomings which I identified is how the climax felt a bit too forced and rushed; and an ambiguous ending to make way for the events of ‘Final Crisis’ in which Batman again plays a crucial role.
Also, Spoilers, if you don’t want that series to get ruined, I suggest you stay away from the oneshots which appear after the conclusion of the main story.
Artstyle:
The artwork in this book is quite gorgeous, with the panels making great use of the gothic shadowy aesthetic of Gotham & the Batman mythos. Plus, having an entire coterie of artists, also shows, as the pages vary in style and coloring. Different portions of the story are colored and styled in varying interesting ways.
Panels featuring Batman & the Joker are illuminated in contrasting light and dark, with shadows covering whatever is out of focus.
As Batman falls deeper and deeper into his state of induced psychosis, the world around him starts to become more and more muddled, with the shadows & colors almost seeming to bleed out from the environment. This is further accentuated by the DIY, colorful and at the same time disturbing ensemble that the Batman of Zur-en-aagh scrounges up for his crime fighting journey.
Panels featuring the Joker are drawn in crisp monochrome, with a healthy sprinkling of red, of blood and irises shooting you like a bullet in its contrast.
Each drop of rain, each contour, each wrinkle in Batman’s cowl are drawn with such painstaking detail, you are transfixed at how organic they come across as.
This, plus several covers & panels where Batman is treated with an almost mythic reverence, and he might as well be John Wick-esque Baba Yaga striking fear into the hearts of criminals, minus the guns & killing.
Grant Morrison as a writer and reader, is immensely invested in the mythos of the character of Batman. And that passion & love for the character is clearly transferred onto the page. Batman R.I.P will be a great read for hardcore Batman fans, as well as the casual readers of the series. Enjoy.
Succeeded by: Final Crisis
Rating 4 out of 5 | Grade: A; I’m the Gorram Batman (of Zur-en-aarh)
Grant Morrison clearly subscribes to the Alan Moore school of storytelling. Which is psychedelics, dreams, bizarre mindscapes, non-linear storytelling, and a pinch of WTF did I just read.
Following the events of Batman: The Black Glove, the torment in which he had to endure some serious psychological trauma (which seeing as this is Batman, is just another Tuesday for him), plus some hypnotic manipulation from Dr. Hurt, leader of the Black Glove, causes Batman’s psyche to become shattered after hearing the trigger phrase ‘Zur-en-arrh’.
This causes him to fall back to an emergency psyche which he had created just for the eventuality of someone messing with his mind. Because, why wouldn’t he, this is the goddamn Batman, the guy who prepares for every possibility. Thus emerges the Batman of Zur-en-arrh, who, along with Bat-mite, his trusted sidekick/ figment of his imagination, goes on autopilot, doing what Batman does best. Being the world’s best detective, sniffing out those who did this to him, and making them pay to hell & high water.
One thing that I really liked about this story is how far you can take the whole ‘Batman is always prepared’ meme. In the story, the villains hypnotize Batman so that his psyche crumbles upon hearing a trigger phase. Little did they know, good ol Bats had already anticipated this outcome, rather one where some super villain was trying to mind control him (hmm, I wonder if the thought came to him, after seeing the same being done to Superman, over & over & over. Seriously, if anyone needs protection against mental incursion, it’s the big blue scout, who also happens to be a walking nuke)
So, this resulted in the birth of ‘The Batman of Zur-en-arrh’, who is a completely amnesiatic Bruce Wayne, guided by a figmental hallucinatory Batmite (or is he), who retraces his steps, all the way back to the perpetrators of his current state. And they, the Black glove, despite recruiting the services of the Joker, might soon find themselves inadequate to the task of bearing his fury.
For Batman R.I.P, Grant Morrison borrows heavily from the golden age of Batman comics. From the aforementioned ‘Batman of Zur-en-aagh’, to Batmite, to several characters in Batman. Inc. Similar to his reinterpretation of Animal Man, he is able to take the various iterations and aspects of the fictional character’s biography, and weave them into a mind mending Freudian tapestry, exploring the all too complex and fragile psyche of someone, who is often referred to as being the peak in human conditioning.
The one shortcomings which I identified is how the climax felt a bit too forced and rushed; and an ambiguous ending to make way for the events of ‘Final Crisis’ in which Batman again plays a crucial role.
Also, Spoilers, if you don’t want that series to get ruined, I suggest you stay away from the oneshots which appear after the conclusion of the main story.
Artstyle:
The artwork in this book is quite gorgeous, with the panels making great use of the gothic shadowy aesthetic of Gotham & the Batman mythos. Plus, having an entire coterie of artists, also shows, as the pages vary in style and coloring. Different portions of the story are colored and styled in varying interesting ways.
Panels featuring Batman & the Joker are illuminated in contrasting light and dark, with shadows covering whatever is out of focus.
As Batman falls deeper and deeper into his state of induced psychosis, the world around him starts to become more and more muddled, with the shadows & colors almost seeming to bleed out from the environment. This is further accentuated by the DIY, colorful and at the same time disturbing ensemble that the Batman of Zur-en-aagh scrounges up for his crime fighting journey.
Panels featuring the Joker are drawn in crisp monochrome, with a healthy sprinkling of red, of blood and irises shooting you like a bullet in its contrast.
Each drop of rain, each contour, each wrinkle in Batman’s cowl are drawn with such painstaking detail, you are transfixed at how organic they come across as.
This, plus several covers & panels where Batman is treated with an almost mythic reverence, and he might as well be John Wick-esque Baba Yaga striking fear into the hearts of criminals, minus the guns & killing.
Grant Morrison as a writer and reader, is immensely invested in the mythos of the character of Batman. And that passion & love for the character is clearly transferred onto the page. Batman R.I.P will be a great read for hardcore Batman fans, as well as the casual readers of the series. Enjoy.
jameshaus's review against another edition
5.0
Awesome. The first major cliff-hanger of Morrison's batman story arc. The Black Glove sets out to "Break" batman psychologically before killing him and basically succeeds. Well executed, although I think the link between this book and Final Crisis could be clearer.
space_gaudet's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
mjthomas43's review against another edition
5.0
Wow. Great story about Batman's greatest strength -- being prepared -- with a touch of "is he sane or not" thrown in for good measure. We meet Jezebel Jet, the love of his life; he battles with Dr. Hurt and the Black Glove using his own psychology as a weapon; we see the Joker not playing well with others, as usual; and the whole Bat family saves the day in the end.