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BATMAN #11

[ FLAMING BAT-SALE
It could be the fall for the 'House of Wayne'. And this time it's does not have anything to do with Bane. It's from Thomas instead. The one who they thought was dead. Plus does a mean impression of David Blaine. Just like Writer: Scott Snyder; Artist: Greg Capullo; and Publisher: DC Comics in August 2012. Who has a fish tank?

So what’s the STORY morning glory?
In a much-much more adventurous way this final part of the 'Court of Owls' saga -- entitled 'My Brothers Keeper' -- reminds me a lot like an argument I once had with my very own brother. Minus the airplane intervention and a building blowing-up.

  • Picture the scene if you will; Batman (also known as Bruce Wayne) and Lincoln March (could be Thomas Wayne Jr.) are both having a right 'knees-up Mother Brown' over the streets of Gotham City.
  • Now during this debacle together, you can safely say that both siblings' are trying to settle there argument with punches, words, and an airplane orientated ploy.
  • Though in all honesty it does not really resolve itself until a building goes boom, and Bruce has a nice little chat with Dick afterwards. Kind of.

Meanwhile, in the Jarvis Pennyworth back-up feature, Jarvis's fate is sealed in blood, whilst Alfred's fate is burnt in a letter.

What is the most memorable SENTENCE OR CONVERSATION spoken in this issue?
I thought it funny when Dick said to Bruce during their discussion together...

'Sigh! Dammit, Bruce. Now I can't hit you. I'll just have to do it some other time. It's fine, though. I'll just sneak up and surprise you'.

I also chuckled at Bruce's reply too -- 'You'll try'. Class.

What was the BEST thing about this issue?
My favorite scene in this story was the apparent 'epilogue' at the end of the main feature. Well, not only did it cement a finality to Dick's and Bruce's relationship, but it also left the 'Thomas Wayne mystery' a little more ambiguous.

Perfect. 

What was the WORST thing about this issue?
Although the majority of the dialogue on show in the issue was very nice to read, in the same breath, it did come across that a large portion of it was just to justify to the reader that Lincoln was in fact Bruce's brother.

Please note, I am not trying to imply that this is a bad-bad thing. Just that it was a mite top heavy as exposition

What was the most CREATIVE thing about this issue?
STORY: There was one very creative thing that I really did like in this story. It was when Dick put his hand on Bruce's shoulder to comfort him. You see, in many ways this gesture symbolizes their friendship, doesn't it? Firm. Fair. And with no need for words.

Sob!

ART: During Bruce's fight with... errr... whoever he is; there is a segment in it that I did not really understand in the telling. It's the part where Thomas goes 'boom' whilst hovering by side of the airplane.

To me it just came out of nowhere -- and was not signposted properly amidst the cinematic choreography. Apart from that though -- smashing -- good on you Greg Capullo. Top notch layouts. Especially when Batman was holding onto dear life whilst housed within the planes propeller bay (I think that's what it's called anyway).

If you had to CAST TWO CHARACTERS in this comic book, who would they be and why?
BRUCE: I'm going to go back to the sixties in my casting of both Bruce and Thomas Wayne. Mainly because Greg does illustrate the older out of the brother's like Mr. Cheese himself, Adam West... 

THOMAS: ... whereas the slightly younger Wayne does look a bit like the original 'Green Hornet' -- Van Williams. Though you could reverse these two roles I suppose, huh?

If this issue had a MOVIE TAG LINE, what would it be?
You Can Chose Your Friends, But You Can Not Choose Your Family With A Batarang.

If this issue were a MOVIE, an OBJECT, or a piece of MUSIC, what would that be and why? 
Conceptually this story reminded me of an inverted version of the Martin Scorsese film 'Mean Streets'. Well, this urban gangster flick tells the tale of two 'reluctant brothers', with one of them trying to help the other one out of his troubles.




See? Just reverse the concept and we have a match.

FINAL thoughts...
In 1984 Mike W. Barr and Michael Golden created a Batman yarn called 'The Player on the Other Side'. Basically, this 'special edition' tried to convey what the inverse of Batman would be like in the then DC Universe. He was called 'The Wrath', and it comes across that Lincoln March is now stepping into his shoes.

Personally speaking, I just hope that Lincoln isn't disposed of too quickly, and that this 'Bruce's brother' story does not hang over this book like a Spiderman clone. If you get my gist.

Listen, don't get me wrong, I really do enjoy the fact that Scott Snyder is trying to do something different with Batman at the moment. He's a great writer, and writes in a voice that if both relatable and full of character. I just trust that the 'bigger picture' is as relevant as a Joe Chill bullet.

MARKS out of 10? 9

BATMAN #11 BATMAN #11 Reviewed by David Andrews on July 26, 2012 Rating: 5
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