Batman Eternal #9 - The Unburied Past

Why did they need to use a the Batman of Japan in China? Was there no actual Chinese characters they could have actually used?

I hope she's not the new Robin.

@jonny_anonymous said:

I was wondering the same thing. I actually thought I misread something at first.

@Mat 'Inferiorego' Elfring: You keep complaining about the story jumping around but that belies the fact that issues 4-7 were designed to fully set up the big stories that do not involve Batman. Tynion said as much in an interview about Eternal that was posted on ComicVine. We are now heading into a three issue format that will become the norm until the series ends next year. We will get back to each of the other subplots with time (which with a weekly series means we are no more than a few months at most). I know you are giving constructive criticism but it feels like you harp on this fact more than you should, which may dissuade readers that could potentially be interested in the title. :)

She's the new Alfred, as seen in Batman #28.

Why did they need to use a the Batman of America in China? Was there no actual Chinese characters they could have actually used?

Why is it so odd to use a Japanese character in Hong Kong when Jiro explicitly told Bruce that the Roman trucked in a horde of Yakuza (Japanese Mob) to fight his war (and that that war just ended (i.e. when Falcone left for Gotham))?

I liked this issue a lot 4/5 for me. It was cool seeing Jiro and how he operates in Japan.

Because it's his book? Nobody sends Russian heroes to America to fight the Russian mob. Using a Japanese character instead of a Chinese character just reinforces the "all asians are the same" trope that western fiction always uses.

@scarletbatman: WAAAAAT!

@jonny_anonymous: Pretty much.

Do you honestly believe that if the Penguin went to Canada, that Batman would not follow him?

Jiro only became involved once the Hong Konger gang war spilled over into Japan. This is no different than Batman getting involved in Metropolis if Intergang started hiring goons from Gotham. Doubly so since, in the New 52, there is a decided lack of super heroes who deal with East Asia.

Nobody sends Russians anywhere because there are barely any Russian heroes. Heck, the Soviets (in Marvel) were so hard up for recruits that they brainwashed Bucky! Super Hero comics have a decided American bent to them. We do not get to see what the rest of the world is doing (outside of a few select corners). It just does not sell well (just look at the original Batwing).

There are plenty of issues where American Heroes have gone to other countries to save them from bad guys who left America. Jiro is no different. He went where he was needed. Contrary to the article, Jiro specifically states that the Wayne Tower's Penthouse in Hong Kong is not his Batcave but rather belongs to the whole of Batman Inc.

@scarletbatman: No it's not, it's like Batman going to London and instead of teaming up with Knight and Squire, teaming up with Nightrunner. Not only does did they use a Japanese character in China because "asian" but they also had a Godzilla statue in the Penthouse, again something that has nothing to do with China.

Hong Kong does not have a Batman. It is like Batman going to Copenhagen with Knight.

Blame Batman for the decor.

EDIT: I am not saying using Jiro was a good move, per se. I would have preferred this either be set in Japan (to use Jiro) or there have been a Hong Konger Batman (to justify the setting). Then again, the point was to give the surprise character a reason to be where she was, which is far more easily explained in Hong Kong than Japan (given Hong Kong's colonial experience).

Blackbat is infact the Batman of China.

I don't get the complaints about the book jumping around between different stories/characters.

How's this different to....Game of Thrones, where you can go several episodes without seeing certain plots develop?

not to mention that we're getting issues four times as quickly.

Cassandra Cain has not been introduced into the New 52 continuity yet. DC Editorial is holding on to that card for a rainy day. :(

The complaints of the plot jumping around and using a Japanese batman are both laaaaaame

As with others, I'm annoyed that Black Bat is being ignored since the guest spot in this issue was tailored specifically for her.

Fours Stars....a all around solid story.....and oh baby that last page.

I'm enjoying Batman Eternal more and more It's great were seeing all the build to what we saw in Batman 28

Pretty much agree but... How can you ignore her if she does not officially exist in this continuity? It would have been too awkward to introduce a new BInc-er AND the surprise character. Now if Cassie had been previously introduced, well, that would be a completely different situation.

My bet is that they are going to radically alter Cassie when they do bring her in.

I don't know if it's the fact that March was primarily a pin-up artist before he joined DC, but his action poses and sequences are really terrible for me. I mean, look at this:

Is that supposed to be Batman kicking a guy in the face or pulling off a particularly tricky Turkish dance move? Why would he kick him like that?

@ptigrusmagus: Very lame.

It's a weekly book, so of course the story is gonna jump around. And why is the Japanese Batman in Hong Kong any more dumb than the American Batman in Hong Kong? When last I looked, there was no Chinese Batman and Japan is closer to China than say, Argentina which is why it wasn't El Gaucho. Geez some people just want to complain and "any 'ol port in a storm!"

@saren said:

I don't know if it's the fact that March was primarily a pin-up artist before he joined DC, but his action poses and sequences are really terrible for me. I mean, look at this:

Is that supposed to be Batman kicking a guy in the face or pulling off a particularly tricky Turkish dance move? Why would he kick him like that?

Either his waist is extremely small or that isn't actually his leg...

@saren: March should stick to covers,never liked his interiors,he cant handle dynamics.

They dont wanna use Cass Cain,and besides that was explained in the issue itself,Jiro only arrived cause the Yakuza got involved and the gang war spilled over in to Japan.

That's just a half assed excuse to explain away why they couldn't be bothered to use actual Chinese heroes.

It is about as half-assed as the Batman of America going to Hong Kong to investigate what an American gangster was doing in Hong Kong.

There aren't any established Chinese heroes in the New 52 that Batman would trust. There are no BIncers, no Justice Leaguers, nothing.

Falcone's scars are from Catwoman in Year One, correct? But we're currently in the last few issues of Zero Year, which is Batman's new origin. Catwoman hasn't scratched Falcone yet in that arc has she? I guess my main question is how does Year One and Zero Year factor into the current DC Universe?

The issue wasn't bad but it wasn't particulary good and I don't know why but Guilem March is disappointing me a lot.

@chayden13: Year One apparently doesn't fit into new 52 but I imagine he got the scars in about the same way at some point. Especially since he still has such a mad on for Catwoman.

And did he get them in Year One or Long Halloween? Me thinks I needs to re-reads then boths, yes precious.