Browsing Annotations

Jan 28

Batman and Robin #6 and #7

Posted by David Uzumeri

Batman and Robin #6

Batman and Robin #7

The #6 annotations are so late partly because the issue seemed rather sparse to me and partly because Gavok over at 4thletter! just completely demolished the landscape of any of my commentary, so what’s below regarding that issue is heavily indebted to his realization about the nature of the [...]

Jan 15

Final Crisis Annotations Epilogue: The Hardcover

Posted by David Uzumeri

Yeah, this is incredibly anal, but after the ridiculous amount of time I spent studying this book, I’d be remiss not to cap this off with a look at the collected edition.
But first, since I don’t think I’ve ever linked them at once like this: here are all of the original annotations/articles I wrote upon [...]

Jan 3

Bruce Wayne: A Man of Wealth and Taste (Batmannotations Gaiden)

Posted by David Uzumeri

What if there were an ultimate villain out there, unseen? An absolute mastermind, closing in for the kill? What if there existed an invisible, implacable foe who’d calculated my every weakness? Who had access to allies, weapons and tactics I couldn’t imagine. An adversary whose plots and grand designs were so vast, so elaborate, that [...]

Oct 7

Batman and Robin #5 - “Revenge of the Red Hood Part Two: Scarlet”

Posted by David Uzumeri

Batman and Robin #5

As suspected by a few people in last month’s comment thread, the Red Hood is in fact the obvious option, Jason Todd. So that entire mystery’s away from us, although the domino killer and Man-On-Gargoyle are still milling around, not to mention Oberon Sexton.
Philip Tan’s art in this issue is rather confusing [...]

Sep 16

Batman and Robin #4 - “Revenge of the Red Hood Part One: Red Right Hand”

Posted by David Uzumeri

Batman and Robin #4

Again, a link to what’s come before.
The immediate interpretation of the issue title is the Nick Cave song of the same name, but its use within the issue makes it pretty clear that while that may have been an inspirational source, the context in which it’s used in the issue relates more [...]

Sep 15

Batmannotation Catch-Up: Batman and Robin #2-3

Posted by David Uzumeri

First off, a link to what’s come before.
With #4 hitting this Wednesday, I figured it was high time to get back into the game and take a look at the latest two issues of Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely’s Batman and Robin. I just reread Morrison’s entire Batman run to refresh my memory, so I’m [...]

Jun 3

Batman and Robin #1 - “Batman Reborn Part 1: Domino Effect”

Posted by David Uzumeri

Batman and Robin #1

And we’re back after those messages! Finally, the main narrative line of the Batman books returns with Grant Morrison at the wheel aided by the ever-incredible Frank Quitely. And, in an all-new team-up, Alex Sinclair on colors, which leads to such interesting effects as the sky behind Wayne Tower looking like a [...]

Jan 28

Final Crisis #7 - “New Heaven, New Earth”

Posted by David Uzumeri

Final Crisis #7

Not much preamble to make here - it’s the last issue, I enjoyed it a lot, a lot of people probably think it’s confusing drivel. Maybe I can help you out.

Jan 24

Final Crisis: Superman Beyond - Annotations Epilogue: Mandrakk: A Brief History

Posted by David Uzumeri

For me Final Crisis, is about the type of guilt-ridden, self-loathing stories we insist on telling ourselves and, especially, our children—about the damage those stories do and about the good they could do if we took more responsibility for the power and influence of our words.
- Grant Morrison
Before we move on to #7 this week, [...]

Jan 21

Final Crisis: Superman Beyond #2

Posted by David Uzumeri

Final Crisis: Superman Beyond #2

When last we left our intrepid heroes back at the end of August(!), Superman and Captain Allen Adam were facing down Ultraman in Limbo as Ultraman hoisted the Infinite Book and Mandrakk’s Monitor nanomachinery cracked through the sky into Limbo. Meanwhile, Captain Marvel got knocked back to being Billy by the [...]

Jan 14

Final Crisis #6 - “How to Murder the Earth”

Posted by David Uzumeri

They used the title! Yay!

Final Crisis #6

Reaction to this issue:

Dec 24

Batman #683 - “What the Butler Saw”

Posted by David Uzumeri

And thus, we end Grant Morrison’s first run on Batman. You’ll be missed. Lots to annotate this time around; lots of stuff referenced that’s more within our lifetimes. Let’s get to it.

Dec 10

Final Crisis #5 - “Into Oblivion”

Posted by David Uzumeri

I think this is was my favorite issue of the series yet, although I can’t imagine the girl-wonder crowd is going to react very favorably to… certain developments with Mary Marvel. Despite the fact that the issue has three pencillers with the addition of Marco Rudy, also known as “the guy who filled in for [...]

Dec 4

Batman #682 - “The Butler Did It” (A Final Crisis Tie-In) (A Last Rites Tie-In)

Posted by David Uzumeri

Batman #682

Double crossover banners, bitches! THIS ISSUE IS IMPORTANT!
And the title of this post isn’t even a spoiler, I ain’t doin’ my victory dance just yet. Note time. Also, this issue? Less straightforward than the last two.
But first, a note.
If you’ve dug Grant Morrison’s run on this title, and the sort of philosophical psycho-thriller approach [...]

Nov 26

Batman #681 - “Batman R.I.P. Part 6: Hearts in Darkness”

Posted by David Uzumeri

Batman #681

Yeah, yeah, I know I have shitty reactions sometimes. Full-on notes below the jump, although this issue is way more straightforward than normal.