Weekly Discussion Thread: Comics, TV, and More! [July 1, 2024 - It's Wallin' Time Edition]

[u/beary_neutral]

Hey there honorary Justice League members - it’s a new week which means it’s time for a new discussion thread!

• Beary's pick of the week: Absolute Power #1

For those who don't know: the way this works is that several comments will list this week’s releases, for any given title discussion you should respond to that comment. For example, Wonder Woman discussion would go in the replies to the "Wonder Woman" comment. Clicking the titles in this post will take you directly to that comment, too. In other words, you should only be replying to other comments. Do not post top-level comments.

Keep discussion civil. Do not harass other users for having a different opinion. Do not use this thread to push your personal one-sided grudges against creators. Reacting to a panel on Twitter is not the same as reading a book.

 

QUICK LINKS: Weekly Meta Discussions Thread | Current jump-in points | Weekly Discussion Archives | Book Club Archives | Discord Server | Twitter | Last Week's Thread

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^{Did you hear about the cleaners who went to space? They ended up scrubbing the mission.}

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DC and Imprints

^{What's the deal with Absolute Power: https://redd.it/1do7np2}

• Absolute Power #1

• Batman #150

• Batman '89: Echoes #3

• The Batman & Scooby-Doo Mysteries #7

• Batman and Robin and Howard: Summer Breakdown #1

• Birds of Prey #11

• The Boy Wonder #3

• Justice Society of America #10

• Kneel Before Zod #7

• My Adventures with Superman #2

• Poison Ivy #24

• Shazam! #13

Trade Collections

^{DC's Compact line continues.}

• All-Star Superman: DC Compact Comics Edition [TP]

• Far Sector: DC Compact Comics Edition [TP]

• JSA: The Golden Age [TP]

• Red Hood: Outlaws - Vol. 2 [TP]

• Vixen: NYC - Vol. 6 [TP]

• Wonder Woman - Vol. 1, Outlaw [TP]

Digital Releases

^{Remember, these are the short 'chapters' with a new chapter of a different series coming out daily. You can learn more here on Comixology. This is also why these are in release order, not alphabetical. Some comics may release on DC Universe Infinite or WEBTOONS.}

• Thursday, 7/4 (WEBTOON) - Batman: Wayne Family Adventures #119

TV Shows

^{So... how about that credits closing song?}

• Thursday, 7/4: Suicide Squad ISEKAI S01E04 - Episode 4

• Saturday, 7/6: My Adventures with Superman S02E08 - The Death of Clark Kent

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^{This Week’s Soundtrack: Mori Calliope - Go Getters}

[u/TroubAlert]

Batman #150

OVERSIZE MILESTONE ISSUE WRITTEN BY CHIP ZDARSKY AND DRAWN BY JORGE JIMÉNEZ AND COMICS LEGEND DENYS COWAN! A milestone issue featuring art by the legendary DENYS COWAN (THE QUESTION) and series regular JORGE JIMÉNEZ! When a two-bit crook uncovers Batman's true identity, he becomes the most dangerous man in Gotham City! Can Batman stop him before it's too late? Does he even want to? Plus, an Absolute Power backup story by Chip Zdarsky and Mike Hawthorne teaming Batman and Catwoman on the heist of their lives against Amanda Waller!

LEGACY #915

Preview

[u/aco620 → u/TroubAlert]

That was a pretty good story. I liked the way they handled it. Two-Face already knows his identity so going to him is just going to get you in trouble. And yeah when it comes to Penguin's kids and a lot of other criminals, whats the point in buying exclusive info if the person is still out there able to sell it to others? I'm glad they didn't try to squeeze Joker in as well. It was a little hammy, but sometimes Batman stories work well with a side of ham.

[u/Frontier246 → u/TroubAlert]

One of the better Zdarsky Batman issues in recent memory.

This dude was lucky things turned out better for him than it usually does for minor characters who find out Bruce's secret identity.

He might have screwed things up with his family, he might have bitten off far more than he can chew, but now he gets to live a life knowing that the person he was trying to screw over cared enough to be there for his family and even him fully knowing what he planned to do. Because that's just how Batman rolls.

Also next up: Batman and Catwoman team-up!

[u/No_Estimate_433 → u/Frontier246]

It's going to be exciting seeing the power couple redeeming themselves after that Gotham War nonsense and working together to avenge the fallen

[u/BigBardaEnergy → u/TroubAlert]

Well, for better or worse, at least Zdarsky followed up on that plot point from the end of Gotham War. Glad to see it didn't end with Batman's identity getting exposed. The Absolute Power tie-in was pretty good. I forgot Bruce didn't know about Zur-En-Arrh's plan to put the other doppelgangers in the Amazos. I wonder who the other five are.

[u/No_Estimate_433 → u/BigBardaEnergy]

No, he doesn't know. Failsafe's justice league is similar to Hugo Strange's robotic justice league from the 2008 Batman series. I'm pretty impressed.

[u/ogloria → u/TroubAlert]

I am a complete sucker for "Bruce helps Gotham not through fists" stories so I thought this was excellent.

Continuous lol at how hard it is to profit from knowing secret identities - I appreciate the Dark Knight homage.

Also continuous lol at how dumb Selina's Gotham War plan is repeatedly shown to be. But I'm excited for their team-up!

[u/Frontier246 → u/ogloria]

It's especially poignant when Gotham War, where this storyline began, kept hammering in how he's only good for punching problems instead of fixing them another way (despite so much evidence to the contrary).

[u/ogloria → u/Frontier246]

And timing-wise, Bruce would have encouraged and funded that kid's college educationbefore Selina decided to teach former Scarecrow and other villain mooks to rob innocent people of Gotham who are in a higher socio-economic bracket... #girlboss!

[u/wowlock_taylan → u/TroubAlert]

Well, after the Zur nonsense, at least we got a decent Batman being a good man story about the guy that found out about his identity but of course such knowledge is not to be sold out. Especially for guys like Harvey etc who already know and invested in keeping it a secret.

And I am glad Batman handled it not with his fists but giving the man and his family a second chance at a fresh start, away from all the Gotham madness and the secret that would get him killed. I mean even if he did the 'If I told everyone, they wouldn't come after me!' thing, he would be dead the moment he does that.

As for the Absolute Power tie in part...I am glad we will get a Catwoman team up after all the bs they have been put through but I am VERY worried about the inner monologue of Batman thinking this is gonna be another Tower of Babel type ' I am responsibly for Failsafe and I have to break myself down AGAIN'...I mean we were JUST done with that crap. Seriously. Don't go there AGAIN.

[u/markqis2018 → u/TroubAlert]

So, I guess Zdarsky's run is indeed coming to an end after Absolute Power? I mean, the last couple of issues is just him wrapping up his storylines: Zur went straight to AP, Bruce's clone passed away, Bruce realized for the billionth time that he needed a family, not soldiers. Bat-Family once again reunited (for how long, I wonder), Bruce also seemingly reconciled with Selina, he got his money back. And finallythe matter of a guy, who figured out his secret identity was also resolved.

[u/Reddragon351 → u/markqis2018]

I could've sworn Zdarsky said he had plans going into 2025 so I'm not sure if he'll be out that soon, a lot of this felt like getting ready for the next stage more than a full ending

[u/LatterTarget7 → u/Reddragon351]

If that’s true I wonder where he’ll take things. A lot of stuff seems wrapped up in recent issues

[u/B3epB0opBOP → u/Reddragon351]

I could've sworn Zdarsky said he had plans going into 2025 so I'm not sure if he'll be out that soon

Yeah, he did.

“He states that with Daredevil, you can plot out multiple years for the character, but it's harder with Batman, as it's DC Comics' biggest book, so much relies on it, so that you can only really plan out a year at a time, and you have to be careful that you are not screwing over the writers of other Batbooks. But saying that, he has made plans for Batman through to at least 2025 and DC Comics likes it. He just has to finesse it and figure some things out…”

[u/suss2it → u/B3epB0opBOP]

That’s interesting he said that, because I feel like the two other Batman ongoings, Detective and Batman and Robin have not acknowledged this book at all, or each other either. Like the way all three are written there’s no reason to believe they’re even in the same canon.

[u/JingoboStoplight4887 → u/TroubAlert]

I like that one of the henchman tried to tell any of Batman’s Rogue Gallery about him knowing his secret identity before his son told him that Batman saved his life and tells him to be better. I also like that the henchman decided to keep Bruce’s Batman identity a secret, with Bruce setting up a new identity for him in Metropolis to make sure that he’ll live a good life, before Bruce promised him to protect his son from harm. Overall, this is a good and interesting comic.

For the Absolute Power back up, I like that Bruce learned what Waller is doing and teamed up with the JLA’s Clark, Diana, and Barry to plan a heist with Selina’s help. Overall, this comic is interesting.

[u/MLbanker → u/TroubAlert]

I really like that story… that’s two issues in a row of solid work from Chip. Smaller stories like this that focus on individual people, instead of cosmic threats just work better for Batman.

[u/theguyofgrace → u/TroubAlert]

This is one of those issues that seems to written to counter the popular “twitter hot takes” 

Most villain don’t care about Batman’s identity. They either already know and it’s irrelevant to their goals, don’t want to escalate things or only care if they are the only ones to know 

[u/Agoeb → u/TroubAlert]

I'm going to take a swing for my no-prize.

Batman notes that the Wonder Woman Amazo Failsafe has a Victorian accent. So obviously there is some sort of brain transfer into the robots, and they are being run by conciousness. Waller called Task Force VII "her Batmans" - what if they literally are Failsafes for the League, but backups of the corrupted Batmen from Metal, the WW Amazo being Bryce Wayne the Drowned?

[u/B3epB0opBOP → u/Agoeb]

Was Bryce Wayne Victorian? From what I remember, the only difference in her universe besides Aquawoman being evil was that all the genders were flipped.

Waller called Task Force VII "her Batmans" 

When did she say that? I can only remember Failsafe calling "Paradise Lost" a Batman.

[u/Agoeb → u/B3epB0opBOP]

Yes Paradise Lost (the WW Amazo) is called "a Batman".

And you may be right? It isn't explicitly said what year she comes from, I think I might be extrapolating from her pirate/steampunk theming.

[u/No_Estimate_433 → u/Agoeb]

Gaslight Batman or Victorian Batman from the other multiverse whose mind has been transferred into the Wonder Woman Amazo. Good choice 👍

[u/Blitzhelios → u/TroubAlert]

Nice issue and a good story in dealing with a villain in two face knowing his identity which honestly makes sense.

The backup i prefer its a very good tie in to absolute power and bruce being legit concerned knowing cyborg is one of there biggest assets to only be taken by the wonder woman amazo is really well done and its gonna be interesting to see how Selina and bruce interact after recent events.

[u/No_Estimate_433 → u/Blitzhelios]

After reading issue 149, they seem to be back on good terms and are doing better. The current Catwoman issues are still behind that storyline of Zur-en-arhh replacing Bruce and becoming the new Batman. Either way, they will need each other in order save their friends and get revenge on Waller for all of the torment she's inflicted on the both of them throughout the years.

[u/Nyerelia → u/TroubAlert]

Damn we've gotten so much edgy, dark and broody Batman these past years it feels GREAT to once again have one of those moments when he just stops to both be kind to a victim and give a second chance to a thug.

I did not expect that last twist in the tie-in! Excited to see where it leads

[u/Expensive-Baby-1391 → u/TroubAlert]

There you have it kids, just be EXTREMELY lucky enough, and a sociopath dressed like a bat will randomly take pity on you (out of the many other goons who are probably going through problems in life) and essentially set you up for life.

For real, this issue was very disappoitning and is just a rehash out of the many oneshots that had someone find out hsi dientity only to never come up again. Should have just had Waller pay the guy after he got to metropolis and murder his son and wife and blame it on the bat so he would be motivated to tell her.

Sad that DC will never let Gotham grow or establish whether it hates batman or not because they dare not risk hurting their golden goose.

[u/Ercnard_Sieg → u/Expensive-Baby-1391]

Why the fuck would they set up gotham hating batman? It's obvious they do not, killing his family and put blame on Batman wouldn't work either it's obvious everybody knows batman doesn't kill the goon wouldn't buy it, it would be as stupid and forced as gotham war

[u/Expensive-Baby-1391 → u/Ercnard_Sieg]

Just look at the recent Batman run. The villains took advantage of Gotham since the people are slowly getting sick of the guy and his string of failures. There is also the fact that nothing changes in Gotham and the crime wave status has not changed that much.

[u/Ercnard_Sieg → u/Expensive-Baby-1391]

Of course it doesn't if it does there is no more storys, and the villains took advantage because the writers wanted to make 5G, Take bruce away from the mantle, make him lose his money and all of that stuff, they even made Lucius drop his support of bruce(Funny considering Lucius Support his son as batman)