Comments on: Planetary/Batman: Night on Earth http://comicsworthreading.com/2006/08/04/planetarybatman-night-on-earth/ Independent Opinions on Comics of All Kinds Sat, 21 Nov 2009 20:59:57 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: *Superhero Comics Worth Reading » Comics Worth Reading http://comicsworthreading.com/2006/08/04/planetarybatman-night-on-earth/comment-page-1/#comment-67919 *Superhero Comics Worth Reading » Comics Worth Reading Wed, 06 Jun 2007 23:58:50 +0000 http://comicsworthreading.com/2006/07/24/planetarybatman-night-on-earth/#comment-67919 [...] Planetary/Batman: Night on Earth [...]

[...] Planetary/Batman: Night on Earth [...]

]]> By: Dan Coyle http://comicsworthreading.com/2006/08/04/planetarybatman-night-on-earth/comment-page-1/#comment-31802 Dan Coyle Tue, 08 Aug 2006 21:55:44 +0000 http://comicsworthreading.com/2006/07/24/planetarybatman-night-on-earth/#comment-31802 "Ellis and Cassaday working for Marvel now has no impact on my enjoyment of the book. I never read the FF analogues being the evil masterminds as any kind of denunciation of Marvel in the real world." Reread issue #10 and then come back and try to type that with a straight face. “Ellis and Cassaday working for Marvel now has no impact on my enjoyment of the book. I never read the FF analogues being the evil masterminds as any kind of denunciation of Marvel in the real world.”

Reread issue #10 and then come back and try to type that with a straight face.

]]> By: Ralf Haring http://comicsworthreading.com/2006/08/04/planetarybatman-night-on-earth/comment-page-1/#comment-31669 Ralf Haring Sun, 06 Aug 2006 15:37:06 +0000 http://comicsworthreading.com/2006/07/24/planetarybatman-night-on-earth/#comment-31669 I don't think the perceived difference in quality due to the delays. The earlier issues could play around with being riffs on different genres. The new issues need to wrap up the plot. Ellis and Cassaday working for Marvel now has no impact on my enjoyment of the book. I never read the FF analogues being the evil masterminds as any kind of denunciation of Marvel in the real world. As far as standout single issues, I think my favorite is probably the one with the Captain Marvel analogue who gives up his normal life to help the stranded spaceship get home. A problem with these types of stories is that you often have to know too much about the source material. I think that issue still works very well without having to get the reference (and it's really just superficial anyway). I don’t think the perceived difference in quality due to the delays. The earlier issues could play around with being riffs on different genres. The new issues need to wrap up the plot.

Ellis and Cassaday working for Marvel now has no impact on my enjoyment of the book. I never read the FF analogues being the evil masterminds as any kind of denunciation of Marvel in the real world.

As far as standout single issues, I think my favorite is probably the one with the Captain Marvel analogue who gives up his normal life to help the stranded spaceship get home. A problem with these types of stories is that you often have to know too much about the source material. I think that issue still works very well without having to get the reference (and it’s really just superficial anyway).

]]> By: Dan Coyle http://comicsworthreading.com/2006/08/04/planetarybatman-night-on-earth/comment-page-1/#comment-31618 Dan Coyle Sat, 05 Aug 2006 22:07:49 +0000 http://comicsworthreading.com/2006/07/24/planetarybatman-night-on-earth/#comment-31618 Another thing is that the series has pretty bluntly held Marvel analogues up as the series villains- but the delays are such that the artist and author of the book are now WfH favorites at the House of Ideas. It's very difficult for me to take the book seriously when Ellis is taking his checks from the house that Stan the Man built when it's all about Snow avenging himself on a thinly disguised Reed Richards. Another thing is that the series has pretty bluntly held Marvel analogues up as the series villains- but the delays are such that the artist and author of the book are now WfH favorites at the House of Ideas. It’s very difficult for me to take the book seriously when Ellis is taking his checks from the house that Stan the Man built when it’s all about Snow avenging himself on a thinly disguised Reed Richards.

]]> By: Johanna http://comicsworthreading.com/2006/08/04/planetarybatman-night-on-earth/comment-page-1/#comment-31610 Johanna Sat, 05 Aug 2006 20:23:25 +0000 http://comicsworthreading.com/2006/07/24/planetarybatman-night-on-earth/#comment-31610 There's a real level of knowledge demonstrated in this and similar projects. Once the reader knows that the author gained that knowledge somehow, they know that at some time, at least, they shared the same interest. HC, I don't recall any other individual Planetary issues at this point, so I can't say whether others would be more approachable. I know that the most recent ones don't seem to be nearly as good as the earlier ones -- due to the delays, this series seems to have outlived its time. There’s a real level of knowledge demonstrated in this and similar projects. Once the reader knows that the author gained that knowledge somehow, they know that at some time, at least, they shared the same interest.

HC, I don’t recall any other individual Planetary issues at this point, so I can’t say whether others would be more approachable. I know that the most recent ones don’t seem to be nearly as good as the earlier ones — due to the delays, this series seems to have outlived its time.

]]> By: hcduvall http://comicsworthreading.com/2006/08/04/planetarybatman-night-on-earth/comment-page-1/#comment-31602 hcduvall Sat, 05 Aug 2006 18:04:27 +0000 http://comicsworthreading.com/2006/07/24/planetarybatman-night-on-earth/#comment-31602 Funnily enough, I didn't take the Planetary/Batman stories as particularily comtemptous of the older material. If anything, I read it as light ribbing, a mostly affectionate take. Though pieces of it were harsher than others, the bit with Dick Grayson Johanna mentioned and probably the Dark Knight bit (which should be mocked a bit more, imo, but hey)...it was all pretty mild compared to say, the Planetary issue that had all the vertigo characters. I have to say though, I think Johanna's right that you'd have to know the tone of the Adam West Batman to create what they did. But I actually think that makes this one of the weakest of the series. It might be that I've internalized too much of that genre reading myself, and I just don't see it when I read them, but I think some of the other issues in the series seem more approchable than this one, and that might make them better stories in the end. Funnily enough, I didn’t take the Planetary/Batman stories as particularily comtemptous of the older material. If anything, I read it as light ribbing, a mostly affectionate take. Though pieces of it were harsher than others, the bit with Dick Grayson Johanna mentioned and probably the Dark Knight bit (which should be mocked a bit more, imo, but hey)…it was all pretty mild compared to say, the Planetary issue that had all the vertigo characters.

I have to say though, I think Johanna’s right that you’d have to know the tone of the Adam West Batman to create what they did. But I actually think that makes this one of the weakest of the series. It might be that I’ve internalized too much of that genre reading myself, and I just don’t see it when I read them, but I think some of the other issues in the series seem more approchable than this one, and that might make them better stories in the end.

]]> By: BarryDubya http://comicsworthreading.com/2006/08/04/planetarybatman-night-on-earth/comment-page-1/#comment-31584 BarryDubya Fri, 04 Aug 2006 16:28:37 +0000 http://comicsworthreading.com/2006/07/24/planetarybatman-night-on-earth/#comment-31584 I'd be interested in reading a review that explores Planetary/Batman as a satire of superhero comics, which it clearly is. But if you compare modern day superhero satire with satire from other mediums, such as film, the approach isn't quite the same. First and foremost, there isn't that sense of outright contempt for the genre, characters or conventions that are being parodied. Only in superhero comic books is there such a strong sense of self-loathing that it becomes a part of the genre itself. I’d be interested in reading a review that explores Planetary/Batman as a satire of superhero comics, which it clearly is. But if you compare modern day superhero satire with satire from other mediums, such as film, the approach isn’t quite the same. First and foremost, there isn’t that sense of outright contempt for the genre, characters or conventions that are being parodied. Only in superhero comic books is there such a strong sense of self-loathing that it becomes a part of the genre itself.

]]> By: Chris Galdieri http://comicsworthreading.com/2006/08/04/planetarybatman-night-on-earth/comment-page-1/#comment-31581 Chris Galdieri Fri, 04 Aug 2006 14:48:14 +0000 http://comicsworthreading.com/2006/07/24/planetarybatman-night-on-earth/#comment-31581 Planetary generally leaves me cool, but there are two things I remember liking about this: The fact that Adam West (SPOILER ALERT!) wins his fight with Jakita, and the "fusion" Batman at the end of the story. I'd love to see more of that version of Batman; perhaps if Frank Miller ever leaves ASB&RTBW... Planetary generally leaves me cool, but there are two things I remember liking about this: The fact that Adam West (SPOILER ALERT!) wins his fight with Jakita, and the “fusion” Batman at the end of the story. I’d love to see more of that version of Batman; perhaps if Frank Miller ever leaves ASB&RTBW…

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