Tag Archives: Alan Grant

Gothic Batman stories from the ‘90s

Posted on October 23, 2017 by I.M. Baytor

Goth subculture had quite a devoted fan base in the 1990s. You couldn’t miss the hordes of stylish, pretentious teens with black clothes and eyeliner back then. Tim Burton and Marilyn Manson were all the rage for a while. Bands … Continue reading →

Posted in BATMAN COMICS FOR BEGINNERS | Tagged Adam Kubert, Alan Grant, Alisa Kwitney, Andy Kubert, Archie Goodwin, Cam Kennedy, Chris Bachalo, Doug Moench, Garth Ennis, Greg Wright, horror, Jamie Delano, Jeph Loeb, Jim Aparo, John Beatty, John Wagner, Kelley Jones, Mark Chiarello, Michael Zulli, Mike Mignola, Peter Milligan, Scott Hampton, Tim Sale, Todd Klein, Ty Templeton | Leave a comment

Anatomy of Shadow of the Bat #45

Posted on September 28, 2017 by I.M. Baytor

Last week I went on and on about the compelling and cathartic lack of subtlety in the Batman comics of Alan Grant, so I figured it would be fair to spotlight one of the few issues that fall outside that … Continue reading →

Posted in POLITICS OF BATMAN COMICS | Tagged Alan Grant, Brian Stelfreeze, Gerry Fernandez, Michal Dutkiewicz, Pamela Rambo, politics, western | Leave a comment

Alan Grant’s in-yer-face Batman

Posted on September 21, 2017 by I.M. Baytor

I suppose it is possible to do subtlety in Batman comics. To do it well, even: from Greg Rucka’s nuanced characterization to Grant Morrison’s elliptic narratives; from Dan Slott’s skill at disguising plot points to Ed Brubaker’s occasional flirts with … Continue reading →

Posted in WRITERS OF BATMAN COMICS | Tagged Alan Grant, John Wagner, Norm Breyfogle, politics | 10 Comments

Elseworlds tales of sword & sorcery

Posted on September 5, 2017 by I.M. Baytor

After another season of Game of Thrones, my mind has been on sword and sorcery. I still think the series’ most engaging contributions to this genre take place on the edges of the adventure stuff, as the characters count the … Continue reading →

Posted in WEBS OF FICTION | Tagged Alan Grant, Barry Kitson, Bob Layton, Brian Apthorp, Christopher Priest, Denny O'Neil, Dick Giordano, Doug Moench, Jim Murray, John Beatty, Kelley Jones, Les Dorscheid, Mike W. Barr, Scott Hampton, Stan Woch, sword & sorcery, Vince Giarrano | 2 Comments

Scars of Vietnam in Gotham City

Posted on June 1, 2017 by I.M. Baytor

As an embodiment of changing fads and obsessions of US pop culture, Batman’s adventures could hardly stay immune to the social impact of the Vietnam War. And while the Caped Crusader’s TV incarnation could initially be seen advertising war bonds, … Continue reading →

Posted in POLITICS OF BATMAN COMICS | Tagged Alan Grant, Cold War, Dave Hornung, Dick Giordano, Elaine Lee, Frank Robbins, Gabriel Morrissette, Garth Ennis, Gotham City, Jim Aparo, Keith Giffen, Mike Friedrich, Mike Vosburg, Mike W. Barr, Neal Adams, Norm Breyfogle, politics, Robert Loren Fleming, Ron McCain, Vietnam | Leave a comment

Jim Aparo’s schlocky Batman

Posted on April 4, 2017 by I.M. Baytor

Batman #415 For some, it may sound odd to describe Jim Aparo’s Batman comics as ‘schlocky,’ given that not too long ago Aparo came in second at CBR’s poll of greatest Batman artists, right after the immensely talented Neal Adams. … Continue reading →

Posted in ART OF BATMAN COMICS | Tagged Alan Grant, Bill Sienkiewicz, Bob Haney, Christopher Priest, Flint Henry, James Sinclair, Jim Aparo, Jim Starlin, John Byrne, John Cebollero, Mark Buckingham, Mike W. Barr, Neal Adams, Peter Milligan | 11 Comments

Batman collections for casual readers

Posted on March 17, 2017 by I.M. Baytor

You know who Batman is. At least the gist of it. You’ve seen him in books or in films or on television, hopefully at his best. Probably, you’re even familiar with some of his supporting cast and rogues gallery, not … Continue reading →

Posted in BATMAN COMICS FOR BEGINNERS | Tagged Alan Grant, Archie Goodwin, Bob Haney, Brian Apthorp, Carlo Berberi, Carmine Infantino, Cary Bates, Chuck Dixon, Curt Swan, Dan Jurgens, David V. Reed, Denny O'Neil, Doug Moench, Eric Jones, Gardner Fox, Gerry Conway, J. Bone, J. Torres, Jack Abel, Jerry Serpe, Jim Aparo, Joe Giela, John Calnan, Kieron Dwyer, Landry Q. Walker, Len Wein, Linda Medley, Marshall Rogers, Mike Sekowsky, Neal Adams, Norm Breyfogle, Rich Buckler, Richmond Lewis, Stan Woch, Steve Englehart, Terry Austin, Tex Blaisdell, Tim Sale | 7 Comments

Collections of Batman stories – part 2

Posted on September 8, 2016 by I.M. Baytor

If you read the last post, you know what’s going on. Here are another five compilations of Batman stories worth seeking out: TALES OF THE DEMON (1991) Tales of the Demon collects the first handful of stories Denny O’Neil wrote … Continue reading →

Posted in BATMAN COMICS FOR BEGINNERS | Tagged Alan Davis, Alan Grant, Bob Brown, Darwyn Cooke, Denny O'Neil, Don Newton, horror, Irv Novick, Jim Aparo, Jo Duffy, John Wagner, Kieron Dwyer, Max Allan Collins, Michael Golden, Mike W. Barr, Neal Adams, noir, Norm Breyfogle, Peter Milligan, Robert Greenberger, Tom Mandrake | Leave a comment

3 sleek fights by Bret Blevins

Posted on June 21, 2016 by I.M. Baytor

Bret Blevins has drawn a bunch of cool Batman comics and, in the process, delivered some truly rousing fight scenes. Although Blevins doesn’t always hit the mark (especially when working with inkers or colorists that screw up his crispy pencils), … Continue reading →

Posted in ART OF BATMAN COMICS | Tagged Adrienne Roy, Alan Grant, Bob Smith, Bret Blevins, Denny O'Neil, martial arts | Leave a comment

Remaking The Case of the Chemical Syndicate

Posted on May 24, 2016 by I.M. Baytor

As far as remakes go, I’m of the school of leave-good-works-alone-and-remake-the-bad-ones-instead. To use John Carpenter’s oeuvre as an example (as I often do), I can understand the financial urge to bank on title recognition, but artistically I see no point … Continue reading →

Posted in WEBS OF FICTION | Tagged Alan Grant, Bill Finger, Bob Brown, Bob Kane, Brad Meltzer, Bryan Hitch, Jim Aparo, Joe Giella, Julie Schwartz, Marshall Rogers, Marv Wolfman, Mike Friedrich, Norm Breyfogle, Roy Thomas, Todd Klein | Leave a comment