Ive always been a huge Dick Grayson/Nightwing fan and Tim Drake/ Robin fan. Hell, I read Nightwing and Robin every month while they were out. I even love the ressurrected Jason Todd. Course, I dont think he has been used properly since then but the potential is there! When/if written well those three could (and sometimes do) have awesome dynamics. I have two younger brothers so I guess I understand what its like for three brothers to struggle to finding their own identities separate of each other, while still loving each other and being part of a family. Jason even tells Dick during the Nightwing One Year Later arc that he considers them family, and obviously Bruce does too as he left Jason a post-mortem message along with Dick and Tim in the final issue of Robin. Since I’m the oldest I naturally seem to connect with Dick as my favorite of the three. We’re both take charge personalities and people persons. Jason Todd and my middle brother Jesse could not be more opposite. Jason Todd is well, Jason and Jesse is a golden child, but they both stand out in a crowd. My youngest brother Logan and Tim Drake are both thinkers, planners, learning everything they possibly can. I love those characters. What can I say, they’re like family.
Anywho, the point is, due to my connection with these characters I am really excited for Batman in 2009. I mean exxtremely excited. I LOVE these characters. Seriously.
POSSIBLE SPOILERS!
You may have heard. Grant Morrison will be returning to Batman in June with the all new title Batman and Robin with stellar All-Star Superman partner/artist Frank Quitely. I’m excited to see if they can bring to Batman and Robin the magic they worked on (the now ended) All-Star Superman title.
Before you ask the title is set in continuity and will feature the brand new Batman (winner of Battle For The Cowl) and the Robin (however the hell there ends up being a new Robin). Of course anyone who who has read Batman comics at all the last year or so can tell you with 99.9% certainty that this Batman and Robin is Dick Grayson and Damien Wayne.
Point is that I am excited about nearly every Batman book coming out this year. Starting with Battle For The Cowl. Of course I will read/buy the two issues of Gotham Gazette, the three main issues of Battle For The Cowl, and Battle For the Cowl: Commisioner Gordon, Man-Bat, Arkham Asylum, Underground and The Network. I will read Azreal if my roommate (Adam Acree from A Nerd’s Guide To The Universe(S)) buys them but I wont buy them myself. I have no desire to read Oracle: The Cure even though I like the character (PLEASE don’t turn her back into Batgirl.) This isn’t part of Battle For The Cowl, but I have been reading Neil Gaiman’s Whatever Happened To The Caped Crusader? as well.
Starting in June out of the end of Battle For The Cowl is when the the real fun starts! Batman and Detective Comics come back after a three month hiatus completely revamped. Batman will be written by Judd Winick (who I’m not to crazy about) and Detective Comics will be written by Greg Rucka (who I am crazy about). When Detective returns it will also have a new main character for the foreseeable future instead of Batman. Batwoman will take over Detective, herself a Rucka creation and one of my favorite characters! Outsiders (Peter Tomasi) will be returning completely revamped with Alfred as the new leader! Batman and Robin (Morrison, Quitely), Red Robin (Tim Drake’s new role), and Batman: Streets of Gotham will be the other bat-books that I’ll be reading this June.
I am not sexist, this is purely coincidental, but I will not be reading Batgirl, simply because I want to know what direction this character is going in before I buy it. Maybe a couple of issues into the series. I will also not be reading Gotham City Sirens a book about the femme fatales local to Gotham. Poison Ivy, Catwoman, Harley Quinn and etc. Even though Paul Dini is writing, I just can’t be made to care.
END OF SPOILERS!
There are also tons of DC books that I am extremely excited for this year, but I’ll touch on the rest of them in another blog soon!
