"Batman of Two Worlds"
"Ratings War"
Writers: Geoff Johns; Len Wein
Artists: Carmine Infantino(p), Joe Giella(i), Sno-Cone(c); Andy Kuhn, Bill Crabtree(c)
Publisher: DC
:::Sigh::: And people wonder why I consider Geoff Johns a lazy writer. Johns comes up with a perfectly good premise for the first part of DC Comics Presents Batman, but his lack of even the most minimal research hamstrings his efforts.
The television Robin is found dead in front of the studio. The television Batman is arrested as the prime suspect. Except in order for him to have committed the crime, he had to kill "Robin"--who appears to have been beaten to death in a PG-13 fashion--in one minute.
The first thing the reader notices are the continuity gaffes common to most of Johns' work, and here's where I usually get into trouble. Why do I identify the continuity gaffes in Johns' work and not Byrne's Doom Patrol? Because Johns tries to work within the tatterdemalion that is the DC universe and botches it. Byrne's Doom Patrol rests outside the DC Universe. It's that simple. In the pre-Crisis we would have said that The Doom Patrol takes place on a parallel earth. We can't say that nowadays, but Byrne is simply working within his own version of DC continuity to create an entertaining, comprehensible series. If other books not written by the author refer to the Doom Patrol, then they deserve the continuity headaches that will begin anew.
I'll give Johns the benefit of doubt and suggest that, although Carmine Infantino's artwork is about as dissimilar that you can get to Timm's model, this story takes place in the Adventureverse. With this given, Johns has an explanation as to why Batman would not be shaken by a Robin's death. This given would also explain why the "real" Robin would be disturbed by the pretend Robin's death. Clearly, this Robin is Dick Grayson, and at that point the only Robin. So the dead Robin which wears the costume of Jason Todd from the comics does perturb the real Robin of the cartoon series because the pretend Robin represents the real Robin. Since Jason is not killed in the cartoon, Batman does not have this history. Thus, he does not show the concern the DCU Batman should be showing.
While accepting that the story takes place in the Adventureverse assuages two glaring sore thumbs. This explanation does not satisfy the change in the villain's far from secret identity or his far from secret career. In comic books pre-Crisis and post-Crisis, on television, this villain has only been known by one name and strongly associated with one vocation. Johns as usual does not explain these changes, and since he's not going to be doing another issue of this special presentation, he cannot rely upon the classic excuse of "I'll explain later." No seeds are being planted.
Apart from the annoying ignorance to continuity, Johns simply fails to deal adequately with the real world. The pretend Robin is taken to the morgue, and the doctor appears to be using a switchblade scalpel since the letterer puts a "snik" near the blade. I'm willing to lay the blame squarely at the letterer, but the medical examiner is cutting through a corpse that hasn't been prepped. In a morgue, before the actual autopsy, clothes are removed. Valuables are collected. Evidence is preserved. Johns' eager beaver medical examiner is just itching to hack away. The pretend Robin need not have been shown naked either. That's not an excuse. Johns could have directed Carmine Infantino to draw Robin discretely hidden under a sheet or simply show the top half of him unclothed. Think, damn it! Think!
Mr. Infantino as implied returns to his old style for this special issue, and the pretend Batman looks better than the real model. Mr. Infantino seems to be having a hard time dealing with the swept back ears of the animated version. He has no problems when casting Batman's footwear brought to you by Jim Lee Preoccupations. Infantino amusingly details the sole of Batman's boot. A classic artist bowing to the whims of today only shows how much of that detail is superfluous.
Infantino's flair for mischief continues with a pair of cameos that will raise eyebrows among those who follow the news. I'm sort of hoping he wins the lawsuit. Maybe then Batgirl will walk again.
The second story by Len Wein and Andy Kuhn is superior in every way. As brilliant as one expects it to be, Len Wein's story takes into account the trend--hopefully a fad--of reality television to create the basis of a fairplay mystery. The enigma beautifully illustrates that famous Sherlock Holmes quote: "When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains however improbable must be the truth."
Within the short, Wein characterizes Batman with more dimensions than the character's typical single-minded antisocial psychopath mode. He's funny when not meaning to be, vulnerable due to the nature of the mystery and a little embarrassed. He seems human. Don't worry though. Wein in his script includes numerous scenes of Batman being clever, threatening and violent.
Andy Kuhn brings an angular style to the story that facilitates Batman's limber gymnastics. His shadow-work and minimal lines for the Dark Knight create vivid imagery that enhances rather than usurps the fun of the mystery. I'd like to see more of Len Wein and Andy Kuhn on Batman.
DC Comics Presents Batman is a double-edged sword. Johns dulls his side of the blade while Len Wein sharpens the steel. He hasn't lost any love for Batman or knowledge of the what makes the character tick. Carmine Infantino stumbles when it comes to new design changes, but his classic version of Batman is better than the newer model. Andy Kuhn however deals quite well with all aspects of the Dark Knight.
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