Holy Hotline, Caped Crusader!
It's important to remember that as far as I am concerned, Adam West, Michael Keaton and Kevin Conroy have been defining Batmen. Sure there were the 1940's serials, but who was aware of those until they became available on DVD? I still haven't been able to pick them up, and I consider myself a Bat-phile. Neither Val Kilmer nor George Clooney really defined the role of Batman. Clooney even admits that he sunk the franchise with Batman & Robin. That's takin' one for the team - it really was a combination of really good people doing unspeakable things. Christian Bale is pretty much owning it and making it his own rather than defining the role or the character. Semantics, I admit; I just want to share with you full disclosure as far as my own personal bias when it comes to Batman.
I really liked B:TAS every iteration of The Batman Adventures and Gotham Adventures. The Batman Strikes took some time to grow on me. In hindsight, I guess it was as much a product of Batman Begins as B:TAS and The Batman Adventures was a product of Keaton's Batman Returns.
Batman: The Brave and the Bold is one of my favorite Batman books. This issue is one of the reasons why.
A Batman's Work Is Never Done teams Batman up with not only Metamorpho; Merry, Girl of 1,000 Gimmicks; Jonah Hex and Bat Lash (who looks like Fred from Scooby Doo here); Hawkman and The Demon; The Inferior Five (the Inferior Five!); The Creeper; and, Superman - yeah, that's right, Batman and Superman clean Doomsday's clock! - and not only are all of the cool Green Lanterns included, the villains are fantastic as well - Mr. Element, Mongul, Toyman, The Gentleman Ghost, The Scarecrow - and Doomsday. Chief O'Hara makes an appearance, too!
The Good
This is a fun story. I like a dark and moody Batman, just like the next guy or girl, whether it's Christian Bale or Neal Adams and Denny O'Neil. But, I will always have a place in my heart for the Biff, Bam and Zowie! - and don't forget that Rolling Stones style tongue coming out of the "O"! The team-ups are fun and Batman's internal monologue is the reader's window into understanding the Caped Crusader's co-star.
This issue moves pretty smoothly from team-up to team-up.
The Bad
Probably the very thing I like about this book and this issue in particular is what could very well be killing it. Look at that cover. That is a classic, iconic '60's era Adam West image. Batman and the batphone - under glass. A bunch of them! Iconic image - over the top. If I understand who this book is aimed at - it ain't me. It shouldn't be me. It should probably be my 8-year-old nephew...who's into Star Wars Clone Wars. He ain't readin' this. He's outgrown Batman and Spider-Man. And what 8-year-old is going to "get" all the inside, nostalgic references in this issue?
Okay, so maybe they don't to enjoy the simple, fun story. Okay, then why write a story for young or younger readers that is really aimed at their parents or grandparents. All-ages means I can sit down with my nephew, or my kids (when the adoption is completed) and read the story with them and we both enjoy it on our own seperate, individual levels. Okay, I get it.
But I think DC is proving that nostalgia is its own worst enemy. All their really good ideas have been old ideas that they are just recycling again and again and again.
But then, I guess I really am Superboy-Prime and I still think Adam West is just as cool as Christian Bale.
The Ugly
The shame is that not only does this Batman think that he is the smartest man in the room, but basically so does DC. DC keeps promoting Batman and Superman over all of its other characters. Probably so they don't offend anyone - all four of Earth's Green Lanterns are featured, along with probably fan-favorites as well. That seems like overkill, just like the outrageous number of batphones on the cover.
I can see Batman being a little swifter than Metamorpho. But some of the other co-stars? I'm not so sure.
DC has some really great characters. They just don't seem to like/want to admit it.
Still, I like this book a lot. If you like the animated series, you should be reading this. If you liked Heath Leager's Joker, this might be torture for you.
I'd give it a 3.5 out of 5
