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143 reviews for:
All-Star Batman & Robin, the Boy Wonder Vol. 1. Written by Frank Miller
Jim Lee, Frank Miller
2.78 AVERAGE
143 reviews for:
All-Star Batman & Robin, the Boy Wonder Vol. 1. Written by Frank Miller
Jim Lee, Frank Miller
2.78 AVERAGE
This was a very weirdly violent and psychotic incarnation of Batman and the origins of Dick Grayson as Robin. The story was absolutely crazy at times with a plethora of DC characters seemingly thrown in at random to embellish the plot but never actually resolved. Despite this though the graphic novel was overall a fun read.
P.S Jim Lee please stop objectifying women in your art, PLEASE! It's not fun for anyone involved.
P.S Jim Lee please stop objectifying women in your art, PLEASE! It's not fun for anyone involved.
I will admit that I have some mixed feelings about this volume. On the one hand I like Frank Miller's work, and the nitty gritty environments he creates. His take on Batman in volumes like Year One is very good. On the other, well, Batman is really psycho this time. Not sure "psycho" is the best word to use but it is the word that comes to mind. Robin's origin is a lot more survival of the fittest once he is with Batman. And yet, even though many readers did not like that aspect, it seems somewhat right for the hopeless and extremely corrupt Gotham City that Miller depicts. In the end, I was willing to take a chance on this, and I am glad I did. Then again, I do like a lot of my comics reading on the very dark side. So maybe that is why it worked for me, albeit not perfectly.
We also get to see some of the other heroes, the start of what will become the Justice League. I found that a bit reminiscent of Moore's Watchmen in the sense that the heroes can be assholes and have their foibles. Wonder Woman here is not a very nice amazon, for instance. And then there is the Joker, who we see briefly. Seeing how an author does a take on the Joker is always interesting to me, so seeing how Miller did it was interesting. It does seem very viable.
So, I did not love it, but I certainly liked this. I think only hardcore Batman fans, or people who feel a need to be complete in their reading of Batman tales, will want to grab this one. I think more casual readers may not like the much darker elements. As for me, I may look for the next volume. Curious to see what happens next.
We also get to see some of the other heroes, the start of what will become the Justice League. I found that a bit reminiscent of Moore's Watchmen in the sense that the heroes can be assholes and have their foibles. Wonder Woman here is not a very nice amazon, for instance. And then there is the Joker, who we see briefly. Seeing how an author does a take on the Joker is always interesting to me, so seeing how Miller did it was interesting. It does seem very viable.
So, I did not love it, but I certainly liked this. I think only hardcore Batman fans, or people who feel a need to be complete in their reading of Batman tales, will want to grab this one. I think more casual readers may not like the much darker elements. As for me, I may look for the next volume. Curious to see what happens next.
This is not a good comic on purpose. In fact, this is a kind of a completely awful comic. Jim Lee's art is my least favorite sort of mainstream superhero vomit. And Frank Miller, well god knows what he's trying to say here. But this is indeed a good comic. Because it's crazy. That stunning sort of genius that results simply because someone really crossed the line. At his best, Miller was a stunningly-gifted storyteller with some very dark places that you occasionally got shoved into. Here, he's sort of riffing on the extreme right-wing Batman that he created in Dark Knight Returns. But it is apeshit insane this time round. I mean, this is Frank Miller blowing his loathing for everything stupid about superheroes into the one book all of the fanboys wanted him to write. This is Batman as a twitchy, psychotic Clint Eastwood, who paints a room (and himself, and Robin) yellow so he can beat the living shit out of a half-wit Green Lantern because Hal Jordan annoys him. This is Frank Miller as Alejandro Jodorowsky, but not on purpose. All Star Batman and Robin is like a creepy homeless guy with Aryan Brotherhood tattoos showing you his cock while he sings Paul Anka songs, drawn in Jim Lee's ludicrously polished style. "I'm the goddamned Batman" indeedy.
OK, I absolutely adore Miller's 80s work; he has essentially shaped the psyche and persona of Batman as we know him today, but here he has really blown things way out of proportion and way out of the typical comfort zone into a bizarre marriage of self-parody and camp.
Jim Lee's superlative pencil work apparently conceals this new Miller style, so if anything I'd be buying this for the artwork, but maybe also for one good laugh, 'cause this is just too hilariously good to be taken seriously. Batman is nothing short of a manipulative, ignorant/misogynistic bastard, Robin a whiny little kid, Batgirl a wondrously kick-arse character (especially her language) and everyone else just barely recognisable from their roots. I mean, Batman calls Catwoman his "baby", Robin "retarded" ... it elicits so much hilarity. Classic.
Jim Lee's superlative pencil work apparently conceals this new Miller style, so if anything I'd be buying this for the artwork, but maybe also for one good laugh, 'cause this is just too hilariously good to be taken seriously. Batman is nothing short of a manipulative, ignorant/misogynistic bastard, Robin a whiny little kid, Batgirl a wondrously kick-arse character (especially her language) and everyone else just barely recognisable from their roots. I mean, Batman calls Catwoman his "baby", Robin "retarded" ... it elicits so much hilarity. Classic.
adventurous
dark
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I gave this three stars, but don't think that's a recommendation if you want a good Batman story. I liked this in a so-bad-it's-good way - it's so ridiculous I found it hard not to enjoy reading it. However I can't be clear enough when I say - this is really a terrible terrible piece of work on Miller's part.
It really, was just, ok.
The story is without a definite end, that you must know. First of all, it has taken YEARS to make what you can read at your hands. And Volume two is no guaranteed that it will be out. I do know that it has been continued, so it claims, as a new title "Dark Knight: Boy Wonder".
To be honest I think the entire thing was messed up. Sure, Frank Miller, the writer for the Dark Knight Returns and Jim Lee, probably the best Batman artist ever, can't come up with something sustainable.
The art is decent, yes, but we do see Batman is this ultra gritty, grim, and might I say evil person!
The way he treated Dick Grayson and Robin, the amount of expletives that he has used, his extremely dark thoughts, and worst of all the dark humour. Also, he even starts calling himself the Goddamn Batman, as though this whole comic really was goddamned as well.
Now I stand here, having read 9 episodes, with no conclusion.
I can see the development of Poison Ivy, of Batgirl, and of the newcomers, whom I can't remember the name now because she doesn't have one; but she can possible become the Cat Woman or Batwoman. Even Joker's plans hadn't been revealed yet. He makes an appearance in only ONE comic - boo hoo.
Really a potentially awesome read, made worse by the 'dedication' (sarcasm intended) of our writer Frank Miller. You are leaving such waste on Batman's name now.
What with his recent publication Holy Terror, where it was supposed to be about Batman....killing Islamic terrorists?
Sigh.
Read this, but be prepared to be on a cliffhanger - forever.
The story is without a definite end, that you must know. First of all, it has taken YEARS to make what you can read at your hands. And Volume two is no guaranteed that it will be out. I do know that it has been continued, so it claims, as a new title "Dark Knight: Boy Wonder".
To be honest I think the entire thing was messed up. Sure, Frank Miller, the writer for the Dark Knight Returns and Jim Lee, probably the best Batman artist ever, can't come up with something sustainable.
The art is decent, yes, but we do see Batman is this ultra gritty, grim, and might I say evil person!
The way he treated Dick Grayson and Robin, the amount of expletives that he has used, his extremely dark thoughts, and worst of all the dark humour. Also, he even starts calling himself the Goddamn Batman, as though this whole comic really was goddamned as well.
Now I stand here, having read 9 episodes, with no conclusion.
I can see the development of Poison Ivy, of Batgirl, and of the newcomers, whom I can't remember the name now because she doesn't have one; but she can possible become the Cat Woman or Batwoman. Even Joker's plans hadn't been revealed yet. He makes an appearance in only ONE comic - boo hoo.
Really a potentially awesome read, made worse by the 'dedication' (sarcasm intended) of our writer Frank Miller. You are leaving such waste on Batman's name now.
What with his recent publication Holy Terror, where it was supposed to be about Batman....killing Islamic terrorists?
Sigh.
Read this, but be prepared to be on a cliffhanger - forever.
I really liked Dick Grayson and Alfred in the first couple of issues of this. That is the only bit I liked or enjoyed.
I am furious at the way every single female character is portrayed in this book, both in the art and the text, especially Wonder Woman, who is turned into a feminazi caricature. Black Canary's treatment also makes me sick.
I also don't like Miller's deranged Batman (which I've read also in The Dark Knight Returns). I can take a well-written, slightly-unhinged Batman, but this crazy maniac is nobody I know and nothing I want to read.
I am furious at the way every single female character is portrayed in this book, both in the art and the text, especially Wonder Woman, who is turned into a feminazi caricature. Black Canary's treatment also makes me sick.
I also don't like Miller's deranged Batman (which I've read also in The Dark Knight Returns). I can take a well-written, slightly-unhinged Batman, but this crazy maniac is nobody I know and nothing I want to read.
Surprised Frank Miller didn't just call this The Goddamn Batman and The Little Snot.
Dark & gritty is how I like my Batman stories to be but this was like someone making fun of Batman and doing a parody. Though I felt the same when I (attempted to) read Dark Knight Strikes Again. Genuinely wondered "was this book supposed to be serious? How did it get released like this?".
From when Batman kidnaps Dick Grayson you really start to notice that he doesn't act the way Batman usually would and it just gets worse and worse.
At first when I started this I noticed it had a comparatively low rating on here and I wondered why, then I realized this is the book that has the infamous "What, are you dense? Are you retarded or something?" line.
Along with un-characteristically insulting Robin, he also then goes on to physically assault him a lot, leave him alone in the cold, dark cave with nothing to eat except the rats. Alfred leaves him a burger and some fries which then causes Batman to pin Alfred against the wall and berate him for doing so.
I was tempted to give this 1 star as it's not very enjoyable and I can't imagine reading it again but the art was really good. Though it's one of those that seems to really target the horny teenage boys when Black Canary, Wonder Woman & Vicki Vale are on the pages.
Another mad thing about the dialogue was how often characters would repeate the exact same words over and over. Sometimes in the context of the emotion that the character is feeling that makes sense but it's so often in this. Was bizarre.
I know Wonder Woman has always been a feminist character that sometimes says insulting things towards men but there was a page of her basically swearing over and over about men and then talking about beheading Batman. That was after she also walks past a guy who she calls a "sperm bank" or something. What the fuck...
One little bit I did like was the origin of Robin's name.
Overall this was like the opposite of The Dark Knight Returns. That had ugly artwork but a good story and writing. This had nice artwork but awful godawful writing.
Least I was able to finish this one, not like Dark Knight Strikes Again.
Dark & gritty is how I like my Batman stories to be but this was like someone making fun of Batman and doing a parody. Though I felt the same when I (attempted to) read Dark Knight Strikes Again. Genuinely wondered "was this book supposed to be serious? How did it get released like this?".
From when Batman kidnaps Dick Grayson you really start to notice that he doesn't act the way Batman usually would and it just gets worse and worse.
At first when I started this I noticed it had a comparatively low rating on here and I wondered why, then I realized this is the book that has the infamous "What, are you dense? Are you retarded or something?" line.
Along with un-characteristically insulting Robin, he also then goes on to physically assault him a lot, leave him alone in the cold, dark cave with nothing to eat except the rats. Alfred leaves him a burger and some fries which then causes Batman to pin Alfred against the wall and berate him for doing so.
I was tempted to give this 1 star as it's not very enjoyable and I can't imagine reading it again but the art was really good. Though it's one of those that seems to really target the horny teenage boys when Black Canary, Wonder Woman & Vicki Vale are on the pages.
Another mad thing about the dialogue was how often characters would repeate the exact same words over and over. Sometimes in the context of the emotion that the character is feeling that makes sense but it's so often in this. Was bizarre.
I know Wonder Woman has always been a feminist character that sometimes says insulting things towards men but there was a page of her basically swearing over and over about men and then talking about beheading Batman. That was after she also walks past a guy who she calls a "sperm bank" or something. What the fuck...
One little bit I did like was the origin of Robin's name.
Overall this was like the opposite of The Dark Knight Returns. That had ugly artwork but a good story and writing. This had nice artwork but awful godawful writing.
Least I was able to finish this one, not like Dark Knight Strikes Again.
Was it terrible? Undoubtedly. But was I entertained? Oh hell yes. The io9 writeup was right. Batman here is so batshit (ha!) crazy that it's hard for me to take him seriously, thus I read (and mostly enjoyed) this as a parody. See: the ridiculous way in which he trolled Hal Jordan. That was so campy it could have been a scene from the 60s TV show. Also: his gleeful laughter while running across rooftops. And: the sheer number of times he told people to shut up.
So bad it's good?
...kind of, yeah.
So bad it's good?
...kind of, yeah.