Category Archives: ART OF BATMAN COMICS

3 ‘silent’ sequences by Tim Levins

If there is one Batman run that doesn’t get enough praise, it’s the strand of highly entertaining stories published in Gotham Adventures #15-60, from 1999 to 2003, written by Scott Peterson, mostly with pencils by Tim Levins, inks by Terry … Continue reading

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3 gleeful Dark Knights, by Frank Miller

Frank Miller’s 1986 mini-series The Dark Knight Returns was, more than any other book, largely responsible for the grimmer tone of Batman stories in subsequent years. Its legacy is still felt today – not just in the overall atmosphere of … Continue reading

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3 striking uses of red by Greg Wright

I don’t write much about colorists in this blog. Coloring is one of those ungrateful tasks that, while absolutely vital to the feel of a comic, tends to go unnoticed when it’s merely done well. According to mainstream coloring conventions, … Continue reading

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Norm Breyfogle (1960-2018)

Damn it, I’ve only just found out… One of the greatest Batman artists of all time died last Monday. One day, Gotham Calling will look closely into Norm Breyfogle’s fluid designs and dynamic storytelling. Until then, I leave you with … Continue reading

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50 glass-shattering entrances

Tomorrow is Gotham Calling’s fourth anniversary. I usually mark these occasions with a compilation of kicks in the head (accompanied by exciting, onomatopoeic sound effects). However, this year I’ve decided to celebrate another longstanding tradition of Batman comics, namely the … Continue reading

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3 badass Batman sequences by Don Newton

Don Newton could draw gritty action better than most, so it’s pretty great that he got to work on so many Batman comics from the late seventies and early eighties, when writers such as Denny O’Neil and Gerry Conway gave … Continue reading

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3 Scarecrow-induced hallucinations

One of the reasons the core of Batman’s rogues gallery has proven so lasting is the fact that many of his foes are super-functional storytelling devices. The Joker is a clown, so he always looks scary. The Riddler has a … Continue reading

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Another year, another 50 kicks

Today is the third anniversary of Gotham Calling. As usual, I’m celebrating by posting fifty images of Batman kicking people and monsters in the head, accompanied by evocative sound effects as well as the occasional thoughtful, witty remark. Have fun! … Continue reading

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Kelley Jones’ technological Batman

When I did a post on Kelley Jones’ eccentric Batman art a couple of months ago, I talked about Jones’ flair for the grotesque, the gothic horror influences, the exaggerated capes and shadows, the neat chapter headings and preview blurbs. … Continue reading

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Kelley Jones’ horrific Batman

Kelley Jones is one of the most divisive Batman artists. His Dark Knight has absurdly long ears that look like devilish horns and fingers that look like claws. And it’s not just Batman who feels like a nightmarish hallucination: most … Continue reading

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