Batman and Red Robin #19 In Denial?

 

Peter Tomasi and Pat Gleason follow up their masterwork that was Batman and Robin #18 with Batman and Red Robin #19 and it is a somewhat more muted affair.  

Yes, I am aware of the irony of calling a dialog heavy sequel to the totally wordless issue that was  number 18 "muted" but I do so because it lacked the depth of its predecessor.  Batman and Red Robin 19 is a different cat altogether and it threw its readership for a loop with the reintroduction of Carrie Kelley to the Batman universe.

I'll get to that later.  What I really wanted to focus on was Tomasi's deliberate follow up to 18 and how he was going to explore the five stages of grief as originally outlined by Elizabeth Kubler-Ross.

As noted by Wikipedia the stage of Denial can be explained as, "Conscious or unconscious refusal to accept facts, information, or the reality of the situation. Denial is a defense mechanism and some people can become locked in this stage."

I don't see Batman as "locked in this stage" because, A, Tomasi is going to move him through all 5 stages and B, Batman has to move on to "anger" because if Batman is anything it's angry!

The first glimpse of "Denial" we get from Batman is from his alter ego Bruce Wayne.  Wayne has sought out Carrie Kelly to pay off her fees as charged to Damien for what I can only assume are lessons in theater.  (Whether acting or history or both.)  Wayne is referring to Damien as if he is still alive which is classic denial and at this stage of grief almost reflexive.  Alfred (callously?) points this out to Wayne and he retorts with a sardonic thank you.  Wayne's rebuttal can also be seen a symptom of denial as it is a slap at his closet ally and friend, Alfred, and intended to sting.  Lashing out at ones closest to you keeps you from facing the truth they wish to impart.

Paying Carrie Kelly off is also a form of denial as Wayne intends to close that chapter that involved her and Damien.  Thus, he no longer has to deal with it.

From here I sensed that Tomasi drifted a little from the theme of denial and drifted into the second stage of "Anger" and added a touch of the third stage, "Bargaining".  Batman goes on a mad caper to capture "Agent of S.H.A.D.E." Frankenstein with the hopes of incorporating "Frankie's" insight and abilities of reanimation.  

 In doing so Batman is effectively admitting that his son is dead.  This is in contretemps to the stated definition of denial.  I suppose Tomasi is to be forgiven for this drift of thematic narrative.  I really don't know anything of his educational background nor would it be fair of labeling him a psychologist.  I'm only pointing out that if you are going to entitle your book, "In Denail" you'd be better served to sticking with that theme and plumb the depths of that particular issue.

 

In the above set of two frames we get Batman admitting Robin is dead ("Not for long") and denying it has any permanence when he recounts his own "death" and that of Superman's.  Again, a bit of a mixed message for the stated theme of denial by Tomasi but who said Batman was anything but complicated.

 

I suppose it fortunate that Batman isn't into full on "Anger" or he may well have dismantled Tim Drake.  Here we can make a case for a solid return to the denial theme.  If Batman had been in full use of his capabilities instead of being in the thrall of denial he would have anticipated all of Red Robins tactical moves.  Instead, the tables are turned on Batman as the former pupil outmaneuvered the master catching him when his judgement is clouded and his plans for a grisly re-animation are foiled.

 

While this issue doesn't measure up to the greatness that was issue 18 and I think it drifted from its stated theme, we still get a look at Batman while he begins his descent into grief.  "Anger" is the next step and we certainly got a glimpse at the rage that is engulfing Batman.  The next issues is to be entitled "Batman and Red Hood in Rage."  The Jason Todd character of Red Hood has visited death before and as a former protege of Batman this pairing should unearth some deeply buried resentments and sublimated issues that were never successfully resolved.  If that isn't a recipe for anger then nothing is.

As for the introduction of the Carrie Kelley character, the fictional non-canon character that is now inserted as a fictional canon character, so what!  I know it has the resolute fan-boys' knickers in  a twist but if it was intended as a publicity stunt it worked as the first printing of Batman and Robin #19 was completely sold out.

 Kelley will add a new dimension to world of Batman as she seems determined or at least the type to be determined to find out what happened to Damien.  A thorn in Batman's side is always good theater.

Next up:  Do you believe Batman and "A New Beginning?"

Batman & Robin 18: The 5 Stages of Grief

As promised in my last blog post I've decided to take a look at the bereavement period for Batman following the stunning events of Batman Incorporated #8 where the Damien Wayne Robin dies.  I feel this is a singular event in the annals of Batman comics because it provides us with an in depth look at one of DC comics most iconic heroes and how he handles a death so close to his heart.

Not just any death, like the death of an adopted Robin such as Jason Todd, but the death of Batman's biological son.  A young boy of ten whose issues and shortcomings were well known to all the readers and provided Batman with much angst. A Robin whose foibles made him all that much more human to us all and gave Batman a true son.

Peter Tomasi, who has authored the series of Batman and Robin comics, has stated that he will follow Batman in the Five Stages of Grief, as originally delineated by Elizabeth Kubler Ross and David Kessler, by examining each stage in the pages of the Batman and Robin issues starting with Batman  and Robin #19.  You can read that very informative article here.

I thought I might take a closer look this bereavement period and the 5 stages of grief and see how much they apply to a single issue, Batman and Robin #18.  Tomasi, with artist Pat Gleason has authored an extraordinary work of art and it is a must read for all fans of Batman. 

First of all let's tkae a look at the Five Stages of Grief.

• Denial
• Anger
• Bargaining 
• Depression
• Acceptance

Denial:  "Denial is usually only a temporary defense for the individual. This feeling is generally replaced with heightened awareness of possessions and individuals that will be left behind after death. Denial can be conscious or unconscious refusal to accept facts, information, or the reality of the situation. Denial is a defense mechanism and some people can become locked in this stage."

In this wordless issue Batman first exhibits the signs of denial by the covering and disposal of the family portrait.  With grim visage Batman takes a last look at Damien before he drapes the face of Damien and carries off the portrait for storage.  Batman can't bear to look at Damien and the setting of Batman with his other Robins is too much to deal with.  Covering Damien's face is both a symbolic and literal act.  The drape acts as a death shroud adding a finality to Damiens passing but the storage of the painting dismisses this finality by keeping this act temporary.  For Batman it's better to remove the obvious reminders of Damien so he doesn't have to deal with pain of his passing.

Anger:  "Once in the second stage, the individual recognizes that denial cannot continue. Because of anger, the person is very difficult to care for due to misplaced feelings of rage and envy. Anger can manifest itself in different ways. People can be angry with themselves, or with others, and especially those who are close to them. It is important to remain detached and nonjudgmental when dealing with a person experiencing anger from grief."

 

No doubt it would be difficult to remain "detached and nonjudgmental" in a world populated by Batman.  The Caped Crusader goes into an utter rage over the loss of Robin and at the end of the issue he lashes out at the loss of Damien by smashing the his locker and tossing the lifeless garments across the floor.

 Batman exhibits the classic signs of anger when he vents his pain at the empty accoutrements.  How Could Robin leave him?  Why isn't he here and by his side?

Bargaining :  The third stage involves the hope that the individual can somehow postpone or delay death. Usually, the negotiation for an extended life is made with a higher power in exchange for a reformed lifestyle. Psychologically, the individual is saying, "I understand I will die, but if I could just do something to buy more time..." People facing less serious trauma can bargain or seek to negotiate a compromise. For example "Can we still be friends?.." when facing a break-up. Bargaining rarely provides a sustainable solution, especially if it's a matter of life or death. Not much noted, but common, bargaining can also include guilt, including survivors guilt.

How does someone bargain with the death of a loved one after they have passed?  By rewinding the memories of that loved one over and over.  That way, the person that still lives, in this case Batman, can handle their survivors guilt by imagining that their loved one is still with them. 

The series of panels that depict Batman descending to the Batcave  is most poignant in this regard.  Riding the Batpoles is something Batman has done a thousand times and with Damien hundred and hundreds of times.  It may have been something that he took for granted in the past but now it is a cherished memory.  The sheer repetition of events keeps Damien alive to Bruce, only the thud of the end of the descent brings Batman back to the reality of Damien's absence.  Better to live the bargain of better memories than deal with the void left by death.

Depression: During the fourth stage, the dying person begins to understand the certainty of death. Because of this, the individual may become silent, refuse visitors and spend much of the time crying and grieving. This process allows the dying person to disconnect from things of love and affection. It is not recommended to attempt to cheer up an individual who is in this stage. It is an important time for grieving that must be processed. Depression could be referred to as the dress rehearsal for the 'aftermath'. It is a kind of acceptance with emotional attachment. It's natural to feel sadness, regret, fear, and uncertainty when going through this stage. Feeling those emotions shows that the person has begun to accept the situation.

Does Batman get depressed?  Heck, isn't he always depressed? Batman carries the weight of his parent's loss heavily on his shoulders.  Instead of being consumed by it, he uses that sorrow as a point of strength.  Instead of turning inward he lashes outward, especially against those who would do harm against the innocent.

Things could be different this time.  This is one of the aspects of grief I hope Tomasi and Gleason really get to explore.  In the above illustration, Batman returns to the Cave to wash away the stains of a grim night.  In a way this could be seen as a form of denial.  Letting the pain roll off you without having to deal with it.  I see this image differently however.  Batman's head is bowed, his shoulder slumped in sad resignation.  The picture is mostly in black and white as if to accent the starkness of Batman's plight.  Only the red of blood marks Batman.  The pain and loss that infuses that blood is a lot more difficult to wash away.

Acceptance:   "In this last stage, individuals begin to come to terms with their mortality, or that of a loved one, or other tragic event. This stage varies according to the person's situation. People dying can enter this stage a long time before the people they leave behind, who must pass through their own individual stages of dealing with the grief."

Peter Tomasi and Pat Gleason end their wordless masterwork with an image of Batman clutching the empty garments of the now dead Robin.  Bruce had strewn the accoutrements of Damien in a fit of rage but he now mournfully embraces them.  See how his anguished face presses up against the shoulder of the uniform as if Damien was still within.  His left hand holds out the mask of Robin as if waiting for him to fill it again.  By purposely showing us this, Gleason demonstrates the nature of Robins life. The duality of being a ten year old and the guise of being a crime fighter and the heavy responsibility it carries.  Displaying the mask adds emotional heft to an already grief stricken tableau.

We also see Damien's Batarangs buried into the surface of the floor.  Even after death they find their mark with purpose.  To the left lie the empty gauntlets that can no longer throw a punch with anger.  To the right stand the empty boots that will no longer trod the face of this earth with Damien in them.  Very large shoes to fill indeed.

Damien's Robin badge sits detached near Batman's legs as if has been stripped of ownership now that Robin has passed.  It now waits for someone else to fill that role.  Someone deserving.

The most poignant thing about this image is how Bruce has dropped to his knees to embrace the now empty uniform.  How else would you lovingly hold your child? 

I eagerly await Batman and "Robin" number 19.  Tomasi has said he plans to explore the five stages of grief in each successive issue.  What I attempted to do here was divine his approach to that series and suss out the clues in a single issue.  I think Tomasi and Gleason have just scratched the surface of the depth of their storytelling.  There is fertile ground ahead.  Hallowed ground where one one soldier gave his last measure of devotion.






(Each "Stage of Grief" comes courtesy of Wikipedia.)

Robin: A Requiem? Updated!

*Update*

I was contacted by Newsarama.com via Twitter recently and they alerted me to an article they did with Peter Tomasi.   The article allays some of my fears that the Batman family of books will quickly abandon the grieving period for Batman.  Instead, DC and Tomasi plan to pursue his bereavement is a series of re-titled Batman & Robin books.  I'm glad to hear this as this is a period in Batman's life that should go fully explored.  You can read Newsarama's article with Peter Tomasi and the link.


It seems that DC comics is sincere in it's sympathy for the now departed Damien Wayne Robin.  With each passing issues of the Batman comics we get a full page spread of the "Requiem" homage to Robin signifying its importance to the Batman family comics.  (As seen above.)

What troubles me is the recent announcement of the new story arc "Batman: Zero Year" that is to commence this coming June.

Are we done grieving Damien yet?

Is Batman done?

Zero Year promises a new look at the Batman origin story and my first impulse was to emit a low groan.  "Not again" I thought to myself.  I suppose these things are inevitable.  With each passing generation of writers we get an even faster rate of readers that pass from one epoch to another.  It is beyond temptation for the Comics industry to remain static and the urge to attract new readership is of economic importance and urgency.  Plus, the combined artists get to flex their collective (Bat) wings and tinker with the well worn tales.

Still, with the death of  Robin there is much unexplored depth here.  As the DC announcement states, the issue of Batman #21 starts the "Zero Year" arc so that means we get at least three precious issue in which to plumb the depths of Batman's grief.

How long has Batman been grieving the loss of his parents?  The answer would be his entire life.  In fact it his life's work.  Are we to see the grief over the loss of his son in a mere three issues before it disappears into the rewriting of history?  I have yet to see a solicitation for Batman and Robin #21 for this coming June.  So perhaps they have something special in store for us.  Either that or it has been suspended pending the outcome of the Zero Year events.  That would be a tragedy.

DC would be missing a golden opportunity if it dismisses the death of Robin in one short season.  I'd really like them to examine Batman's anguish throughout the Spring and Summer and perhaps into the Fall.  That way we'd get at least 9 or 10 issues in which explore the breadth of Batman's sorrow.

We could see how his relationship with Alfred is affected.  Perhaps the duties and leadership that Batman brings to the Justice League would be drastically altered.  Who's arms would he fall into for solace?  Would he seek out Selina Kyle or push her away only to embrace some disposable new love and then toss it away.  What of the former Robins?  Should one of them return to the Manse to fill the void and provide a steadying influence?  Or, would Batman push them aside also and work through his grief in utter isolation.

There should be some awfully large shoes to fill in the wake of Damien's passing but as readers of Batman #18 already know the tryouts have literally begun.

I implore DC Comics and the writers of Batman to exercise some patience.  Let the readers share their grief alongside the Caped Crusader.  What's the rush?  Don't be so dismissive of this fertile and sacrosanct ground.  No doubt Damien will be in the heart of Batman for a long time to come much as his parents are.  I would just like to see it played out for a greater time.

Next up, Batman and Robin #18 and the Five Stages of Grief

Batman and Robin #17: The PTSD Issue. Updated!

 

Issue number 17 of Batman and Robin, written by Peter J. Tomasi, gives us a unique insight into the psyche of the Caped Crusader his sidekick Robin and his trusty man servant Alfred.  The issue is entitled "Nightmare City" and it is not just a look at the immediate aftermath of a night's work for the dynamic duo but an examination of the trauma caused by that night's work and more importantly the toll taken by Batman's victory over the Joker from the "Death of the Family" series.

The events of this issue happen just before the events of Batman Incorporated #8 where the Damien Wayne Robin dies.  My look at the ramifications and import of this issue comes a little out of order with the death of Robin but this particular issue sheds significant light on the mindset of Batman and his team just before the entire Batman universe is turned upside down by Damien's death.

As I said before, Tomasi entitles this issue, "Nightmare City" he could really called it the "Post Traumatic Stress Disorder" issue as that is what it specifically deals with.  This issue not only comes at time of deep turmoil within the Batman family but it holds up a mirror to our society in general as the men and women of our armed forces are returning home from war.

Here's how the U.S. National Library of Medicine defines PTSD, "PTSD is a potentially debilitating anxiety disorder triggered by exposure to a traumatic experience such as an interpersonal event like physical or sexual assault, exposure to disaster or accidents, combat or witnessing a traumatic event. There are three main clusters of symptoms: firstly, those related to re‐experiencing the event; secondly, those related to avoidance and arousal; and thirdly, the distress and impairment caused by the first two symptom clusters."

Tomasi and his artists, Gleason, Gray and Kalisz, give the Batman readership a valuable lesson in what our fighting men and women are coping with as they return home not to mention the thousand of ordinary citizens that are inflicted with this painful disorder.

Before I get into the real life issues that PTSD represent let's take a look at Tomasi's version as depicted in the of a Batman comic.

 

Batman and Robin return to the Batcave after a long night of patrol.  Their routine takes them through their normal "winding down" period where they are greeted by Alfred, fed and strip themselves of the crime fighting persona's in the form of their costumes.

 

 Our three principles head off to a night's sleep employing a simple strategy to calm the nerves of the day.  Batman by looking at a bedside picture to remind him of his life's motivation (no doubt a picture of his family), Alfred with a cup of tea and Damien some music as a boy of his age is want to do. 

Damien's dream state immediately takes him to place where he is seemingly safe aboard a submarine while the turmoil of the forbidding ocean roils just outside replete with images of those both loved and hated.  He meets with a mirror image of his self wherein he struggles to work out the duality of his life and it often threatens to tear him apart.

His subconscious reverie is rudely interrupted when the image of a drowning Alfred swirls before him.  Why Alfred and not his Father? Alfred represents a rock of stability to Damien.  Someone to come home to and provide him with the nurture and safety his young mind sorely needs.  To see this endangered beyond Robin's reach is the trauma his conscious mind can't hope to deal with.  His father on the other hand represents everything that is wrong with Damien's world as we'll see in the next panel.

Damien's mind releases him from the shock seeing Alfred in danger but sends him to the other pole of his broken psyche where his father's influence dwells.  Here Damien is faced with the brutal image of his father being fed off of the inspiration that had led him on the path of darkness and revenge.  A giant horrific bat embodies this trauma, the very thing that led Batman down the path of crime fighting also threatens to suck all that is good out of him and with him Damien also.  Again, another duality that threatens to divide Damien into pieces.

As for Alfred, his nightmare includes him looking from a helpless distance as the Joker destroys the family he has charged himself with protecting from their own worst fears as he provides them with a sounding board to release their inner demons, provide them with sustenance and balm the wounds both internal and external.  To be apart from this family is Alfred's worst fear.

Unlike Damien, Alfred's subconscious provides him with an outlet that resolves his internal conflict with the neat and tidy solution of blowing the Joker's head off.

Despite the obvious pain this act causes Alfred, enough to wake him up and reflect on his subconscious actions, this resolution actually calms Alfred's tattered psyche and he is at peace with his mind's solution as evidenced by the slight smile as he drifts off to a now peaceful sleep.

Batman's internal struggles takes him to familiar territory.  That of the loss of his parents as a young boy.  His dead parents still speak to him and his life is represented by the fragility of a paper boat.

It's not long before that fragility is tested and Batman finds the two things that tethered him to his innocent past are pulled away from him and he is helpless to see them disappear into his life's work personified by the Bat symbol.

The only thing that tethers Batman to his sanity is the thought of his son, his biological son, reaching out to him and tangibly representing the family that he now knows, loves and embraces.

 

While Batman has set his life work on avenging the loss of his parents and dedicating his future to the salvation of others, his true salvation comes in the form of Damien.   Now Batman takes the role of parent helping him heal the psychological trauma of losing his own parents and being there for Damien.  Bruce can come to terms with his internal struggle by balancing his work with that of fatherhood.  While this doesn't exactly solve Damiens problems, it does help Bruce by giving him someone to share his problems with and while Batman/Bruce is aware he's putting Damien in harms way it is better than going it alone and falling into the abyss that is comfortless isolation.

Our story ends in a dream.  Bruce and Damien, Batman and Robin, sit atop their Gothic mansion together in their shared state of anxiety.  Even though it isn't real this subconscious realm provides safe harbor for father and son because is something that they pursue together in the real world.  Despite the obvious dangers of their vocation they are not alone as long as they have each other to lean on.  This doesn't solve their inner turmoil but at least it keeps them going to face the dawn of another day.

This is made all the more distressing by the events of Batman Incorporated 8 and the loss of Damien.

To turn the page from fiction to reality we get the stark reality of Chris Kyle and his shocking death.  Kyle, the so called, "Devil of Ramadi" was a veteran of the Iraq war and dedicated his life to helping those that returned from armed conflict.  Sadly and ironically he died at the hands of a fellow veteran he had sought to help through what the thought was the healing force of handling a gun and the power of wielding one peacefully.  Unfortunately, this didn't extend to his last subject as his weapon was turned against Kyle ending his life.  Please read this excellent story by Time magazine into this tragic tale.

We can all help our brothers, sisters, fathers and mothers as they return from war such as giving to efforts as PTSD Survivors of America and Pets for Vets. 

*Update*
Here are two more charitable groups that deserve our support the first of which is Team Rubicon that does so much to rebuild area hit so hard by natural disasters.  The second is Team Red, White and Blue where group therapy provides the boost our returning veterans need.

As fans of Batman we owe a debt of gratitude to DC Comics and the creative team of Peter Tomasi and company for exposing the dangers of PTSD.  If you know of someone that needs help reach out to them immediately and start them on the road to recovery.

Be a real life hero.  It's what Batman would do.

The Death of Robin

As many of you Bat fans know there was a seismic event in the pages of the Batman comics this past week.  That event was the death of the Damien Wayne Robin.  I had planned to write a few blog posts before this but with the reverberations of this tumultuous event still being felt everywhere across the Dark Knight universe so I thought I must comment on this event right away.

Many of the readers of Batman comics are also aware of the resolution of the "Death of the Family" story arc.  Perhaps "resolution" isn't the right word as The Joker remains at large and although Batman defeated the nefarious plans of the Joker the wounds suffered by the Batman family still are very raw and remain unreconciled.  These events stand far more important now.

The character of Damien Wayne had many detractors.  Some just couldn't bear to watch his puerile behavior and others thought him a drag on the main character of Batman.  After a fashion it became a sport to moan and groan about Damien and laugh off his contributions to the Batman universe.

I'd like to think that Damien revealed a different side to the Batman character.  Batman is infamous for relying on no one but him self.  Batman has a very dark side that is integral to his make up and how he is portrayed as a character.  Adding a real life biological son instead of a ward or partner, such as the Dick Grayson Robin, plumbed the depths of Batman's lone wolf psyche.

That psyche,already damaged from the death of Batman's parents, will be torn further asunder now that Damien has passed.

So let's take a closer look at the final moments of Damien's life.  If we take a look at the panel above taken from Batman Incorporated #8 we see Damien being run through with a sword by his "brother" The Heretic.  You'll note there was no detail given to Damien's face as he drew his final breath.  I'm not sure if the artist responsible for this panel was Chris Burnham or Jason Masters although I believe it was Masters.  But I think the lack of detail was to spare the readers the anguish of seeing a ten year old murdered.  Damien was many things, many them difficult, but he was still just a boy and seeing one die is never an easy thing.

Maybe Masters wanted to present a "masque of death" to us to accentuate the finality of this barbaric act.  Two eyes as golden embers before the light was extinguished from them.  The black visage as something cold and distant without the personality you either loved or hated.  I know as a reader I found Damien's final moments very difficult to bear witness to.

If the final moment of Damiens life was difficult enough to watch, the single page collection of panels that preceded it was even more painful.  Here we find Damien as everything we knew about him.  His feisty combativeness.  His arrogance and his stubborn courage and, yes, his tender age as he pleaded with his mother for all of this to end.

Seeing Damien throw a kick and yell, "Ha!" was of typical of him.   Spitting in the face of certain defeat was also commonplace.  Watching him yell, "Ow" as he was pierced by arrows was challenging to say the least and when he yelped, "NNAOW!" as bullets rained down upon him it was sobering and shocking.

Still, Damien called out his foes as "cowards" with his last gasp, staying true to the warrior we knew him as.  Hearing him command his mother in a whisper for the assault to stop was barely manageable by this reader.  It was sad and poignant.  For all the problems Damien had with his father, he eventually grew closer to him rather than his mother and the League of Assassins that were his forebears.

So what does this mean for Batman?

As the lifeless body of Damien Wayne lays cradled in his father's arms (see the illustration at the top) just below that heartbreaking tableau are a series of boxes that depict the anguished face of Batman as they descend into darkness from right to left.  I don't think this "descent" is just a clever device.  Not only does it represent the last thing Damien sees, it is revelatory of things to come.  Can Batman get any darker?  Will rage force Batman to cross that thin line of morality he set up for him self after his parents died?  Or will Batman fall to a place we haven't seen before and be consumed by the despondency of losing his own child.  Is Batman's spirit strong enough to overcome this tragedy?  If he retreats into sorrow will the already damaged members of his family from the "Death of a Family" storyline be able to tow the line or will they be consumed as well?

 

 Many readers of the Batman comics may be happy to see Damien go.  That is, if he is truly dead, in the comics anything is possible.  But I will mourn his passing as a character.  He certainly knew how to stir up trouble with his fellow and former Robins, constantly testing their patience and skills.  He also tested Batman and added a facet to his personality we don't often get to see.  I'll let the last page of panels taken from Batman #17 speak for themselves.

 My next blog post may seem a little out of order considering the events of Batman Inc. #8 but I believe the events that took place in Batman #17 are nearly as important and perhaps more so.  So, next up, Batman and post traumatic stress disorder.  See you then.

New Bat Art GIF Style!

I often try to give a plug to aspiring Bat artists out there and here is one that is worthy your attention.  There is a tumblr page called Made By AVBH which you can check out by using the link.  The above GIF is from the cover of Batman #17 which wraps up the "Death of the Family" saga featuring the return of the Joker.

It's a great piece of art by Greg Capullo, the original artist, and it is given startling life by AVBH. The issue itself is a bit of a disappointment as was the entire series.  It was certainly no match for the "Court of the Owls" series than ran previous to it.  If you want to read a great Batman comic please see "Batman and Robin #17" as that issues deals with the perils and tragedy of PTSD and I will be definitely blogging on that book.

I'm going to also blog on the "Face of the Joker" given by the various artists connected with the Death of the Family series.  I thought it interesting the different takes that each of the contributing artists gave to the Joker and how they used their art to reveal the madness that is the Joker.  Look forward to that series soon.

Below are a couple more of "AVBH's" creations and they are some of my favorites.  Don't forget to check out the tumblr page!

Who Is The Earth 2 Batman?

DC comics recently announced that the Earth 2 annual will hit the stands on May 29th.  The biggest reveal about ts announcement is that a new Batman will enter that universe!  Anyone that has been reading the "Earth 2" comic knows that Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman of that world, died when the saved that planet from destruction  The issue will be written James Robinson and the art will be provided by Yildiray Cinar, Cafu and Julius Gopez. (Earth 2 is an alternate universe or reality concept that DC publishes to bring fresh perspective to their heroes.)

So who will Robinson choose to follow in the footsteps of that world's original Batman?  Even money is on Dick Grayson but the above illustration is decidedly dark in tone.  So does that mean that world also had a Damien that we didn't know about?

My money would be on the Jason Todd of that planet.  Why?  Well, *spoiler alert* thanks to the recent solicit for "Red Hood and the Outlaws" due February 20th, if one Jason Todd dies in this universe then wouldn't it be fitting to resurrect that character in the Earth 2 universe? 

Below is the cover to "Red Hood and the Outlaws #17.

DC loves the concept of Jason Todd and they may be more in love with the idea of killing him off which has been done several times.  Hopefully if the Earth 2 version turns out to be Jason Todd he'll get a little longer shelf life to further explore his character.  He is usually characterized as harder edged with a propensity for breaking the rules.  Maybe the Earth 2 version will be a nice guy.  But I doubt it and I doubt he will be allowed live past a whole year.

Goodbye in advance Earth 2 Jason Todd, we hardly knew ye.