DC Comics
Batman #686: Gaiman Continues in Morrison's Footsteps
By Hervé St-Louis February 16, 2009 - 08:29
Publisher(s): DC Comics
Writer(s): Neil Gaiman
Penciller(s): Andy Kubert
Inker(s): Scott Williams
Colourist(s): Alex Sinclair
Letterer(s): Jared K. Fletcher
Cover Artist(s): Andy Kubert, Alex Ross
$2.99 US
Batman is lying in a coffin in a 1950s Gotham City and
all the people who knew him, friends and fiends come to pay their respects. Two
of those tell their story about how they were responsible for his death. First
is Catwoman and her tale of how she tied up an injured Batman and let him died.
Second, there’s the Alfred Pennyworth and his story of how he created all the
villains that made up Batman’s rogue gallery.
Coming away from the incomprehensible Batman must dies
storyline with Grant Morrison, I have to admit that Gaiman’s story is quite a
plausible follow up and fits in with what when on before. What he explores make
for good alternative stories and interpretation of Batman’s history. But just
like Morrison’s stories before, many readers will just not understand what is
happening. It seems that Batman has now gone in constructivist storytelling,
but forgot to drag the rest of the DC Universe and readers with him. I like
what Gaiman is doing here, but I’m not sure how it fits overall with everything
else. But just like Final Crisis and Morrison’s run, does it matter? Why can’t
a reader learn to read Batman differently after seventy years of reading
stories about the character penned in a straightforward fashion?
I could not recognize Andy Kubert’s work here.
To tell the truth, I never know which one of which – between Andy and brother
Adam, I’m dealing with. I like his work on this issue and wonder how much the
inkers are responsible for me finally liking something drawn by someone named
Kubert, whose first name is not Joe.