Bat-thoughts: Batman #41 & #42
Aug. 1st, 2015 11:49 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
rainwatersparkWhen I first heard that Jim Gordon was going to be the new Batman, I was skeptical. I mean, I like Jim Gordon, but I thought he was the most boring choice possible for Batman. But I liked what I saw of the Gordon!Batman-Batgirl relationship in Batgirl, so I finally decided to check out the Batman issues, and...well, I'm sold.
Scott Snyder is a fantastic writer who has yet to disappoint. Jim Gordon!Batman (GordonBat? BatGordon?) isn't like most other legacy superheroes—he's not a protégé or close friend who decides to take up the mantle of a fallen comrade to continue the legacy. Instead, BatGordon is a fascinating experiment in making Batman part of the law, rather than outside it. It's the government harnessing the power and significance of Batman as a symbol. Now Batman is officially sponsored and deputized, but he also has to work within the rules, which is a great setup for drama and moral quandaries.
The writing for these issues is relatively lighthearted (for Batman), as there's a certain amount of wry self-deprecation in both Jim Gordon's attitude toward his new job and the idea of a new, very different Batman. But it's also philosophical and somewhat meta. The theme running through these issues is "What makes Batman Batman?" and how a new, different Batman can honor the legacy of the original. Unlike with many other superhero legacy stories, Snyder makes it clear from the start that Bruce Wayne is still around and that Gordon's run as Batman will probably be temporary, which of course leads to questions like: Who is Bruce Wayne if he's not Batman? And how will Bruce Wayne eventually return to the role of Batman?
Great stuff, and I look forward to seeing where Snyder and Capullo take Batman next.
Scott Snyder is a fantastic writer who has yet to disappoint. Jim Gordon!Batman (GordonBat? BatGordon?) isn't like most other legacy superheroes—he's not a protégé or close friend who decides to take up the mantle of a fallen comrade to continue the legacy. Instead, BatGordon is a fascinating experiment in making Batman part of the law, rather than outside it. It's the government harnessing the power and significance of Batman as a symbol. Now Batman is officially sponsored and deputized, but he also has to work within the rules, which is a great setup for drama and moral quandaries.
The writing for these issues is relatively lighthearted (for Batman), as there's a certain amount of wry self-deprecation in both Jim Gordon's attitude toward his new job and the idea of a new, very different Batman. But it's also philosophical and somewhat meta. The theme running through these issues is "What makes Batman Batman?" and how a new, different Batman can honor the legacy of the original. Unlike with many other superhero legacy stories, Snyder makes it clear from the start that Bruce Wayne is still around and that Gordon's run as Batman will probably be temporary, which of course leads to questions like: Who is Bruce Wayne if he's not Batman? And how will Bruce Wayne eventually return to the role of Batman?
Great stuff, and I look forward to seeing where Snyder and Capullo take Batman next.
