I believe due to the nature of issue #11, and the fact that I think the final issue Grant Morrison's Batman Opus deserves its own solo spotlight, it looks like this blog is going to be pulling double duty with Chris Burnham & Jorge Lucas' Batman of Japan-focused ish #11 and issue #12!
In the same fashion that issue #5 diverted us from the core story into a glimpse of the Damian Batman, this issue splits from the main narrative with an issue written, rather than art, by Chris Burnham and art from Jorge Lucas. It gives us a look at the adventures of Jiro, the Batman of Japan, in the costume that is a far cry from the one he was originally given when he signed on to The Inc:
Editorial edict? Creator preference? So there was only ONE guy in a Batman costume? For whatever reason, Jiro's official Inc. costume was changed from his bat-clone original to the one featured on the cover of this issue.
I love the very first image on this page:
It's such a sad image of Damian's pet cat Alfred sitting in front of his owner's graveyard but it is very temporary as, almost like a TV screen getting an overlapping signal, the picture goes static and we turn our attention to Japan and some cleavage-wielding biker chicks.
Immediately we see that these women are not just T&A, one of them rips a guy's tongue out of his head because of his coffee choices! They are more upset about blood & coffee getting on their uniform (a choice of word I found interesting because it implies this look is intentional) and seem just as likely to fight one another as the police. There is obviously something more to these ladies as well given that White swings around a human body with an ease that makes it seem as if you or I were hoisting a piece of paper while Green takes three bullets to the helmet while talking about being bulletproof. She could be referring to her "uniform" or to herself, not exactly certain at this point.
As the police call for a Bat-Alarm, our scene then head on over to...
Jiro Osamu (aka The Batman of Japan) and Shy Crazy Lolita Canary of the Super Young Team. The members of the SYT are another of Grant Morrison's creations circa Final Crisis who became mega-celebrities in their native country. Canary, much like the American heroine of similar name, has a sonic scream but is tiny enough to fit in the palm of someone's hand.
The initially awkward interaction of these two is cute, very first date-ish, as Jiro tries to spout off some Casablanca material that initially goes over the head of the 20 year old Lolita. References are made to Jiro's probationary period, to Lolita's 20th birthday in which Jiro was apparently the vomiting one, and that Jiro has been trying to make this date happen for a bit as evidence by his shrink ray request to Batman. There is something about that request I just find insanely humorous, the idea of a shrink ray in the midst of the Bat-World I find so insane yet the concept of monster clones and tiny little winged girls doesn't phase me in the slightest. Silly...
We quickly learn, as the aforementioned Bat-Alarm reaches its target, that this entire date scenario is taken place with the world of Internet 3.0 that was the centerpiece of Batman Inc. (Vol. 1) #8. Lolita makes a joke about how she wishes she could get 3.0 on her phone which leads Jiro to say it's possible with a "chip in your head and a port in your neck"; I read that all I think of is Johnny Mnemonic and The Matrix.
We get a quick glimpse into the Batcave of Japan and see its similarities to that of the Batcave proper (old costumes (including the Mister Unknown & original Batman of Japan outfits), a dinosaur, a coin, and computers) before jumping back to the Biker Chicks. They come off as total badasses (SARCASM) in their threatening of school girls and their hurling of childish insults. In fact, once Jiro & Canary jump into the fray, the insults continue to get even more ridiculous and childish:
I mean comparing a vagina to a Tardis is quite clever and insanely insulting at the same time. This is banter unlike any you would get from the more quippy characters (say a Peter Parker or Dick Grayson) and unlike any I have ever seen in a Batman comic: "The Pink Ranger's Silicon Sisters", and "Better Than Being Built Like A 12 Year Old Boy", or how about "...Her Whole High School Baseball Team"!!! You aren't getting banter like this in a Spider-Man comic!
Suffice it to say the fight does not go the way of Jiro & Canary, they end up encased in Jiro's riot foam after the bikers steal his version of the utility belt and turn it on him. In the process of the fight though we learn that the ladies are apparently immune to Canary's cries and that, after Jiro cuts it open, their helmets repair themselves.
Upon Jiro & Canary's return to the Batcave-Japan, the reader is introduced to just why this young man was made part of Batman Incorporated. Yes he can fight, but we get a look at his detective skills as he analyzes the facts gleamed from his battle. Canary operates in much the same fashion as a Robin might, working as a soundboard for the hero to talk his ideas out, and she also demonstrates that youthful enthusiasm that might come along with being a sidekick. Then again, so does Jiro as they banter about the varied locations they hope their foes use as their bases. There is a joy in their mission, a stark contrast to the mission currently being undertaken by Batman in the main arc.
We then learn the link between this side quest and the core story as the biker gang return to their master:
Leviathan! It has been many issues since we have seen the presence of Talia's organization outside of Gotham but here it is, a Japanese chapter, albeit a chapter that does not seem to rank highly in the larger scheme of things. One interesting item of note in the big bad's dialogue: her remark that it they have been part of the organization for years. It adds a larger scope to Leviathan's operations, emphasizing how this has been a long game for Talia, not just some fling.
Canary and Jiro track down the base of operations, utilizing their combined skills to uncover its hidden location, and when confronted once again by the bikers, Jiro utilizes technology and his brains to get the better of them. This in turn leads to the unveiling of their unique origins:
Yes, Leviathan tried to use the world of competitive sports to conquer the world...so awesome!
The villains team up with the heroes, the big bad is named Lady Tiger Fist and actually has tiger heads for fists, and we are subjected to some seriously violent death scenes for Canary (stomped to a bloody pulp) and Jiro (ripped apart by a tiger head). Ingeniously though, and so subtle I didn't notice it until I reread the page several times, Canary injected Lady Tiger Fist with the Internet 3.0 and allowed her to play out these death scenes virtually: another excellent display of Jiro's brains over brawn approach to handling his foes.
The ending comes full circle as Jiro & Canary go on their BIG date, she gets to hold an apple, and we are treated to one terrifying image heading into next issue and our regularly scheduled program:
While it was an overall pleasant visit with one member of the Batman Inc. family courtesy of Chris Burnham & Jorge Lucas, and it did lightly tie into the core story, it was nowhere near the pain-filled, sorrow-extravaganza that is to come next ish:
What a cover with the Bat-Bots and the assorted members of Inc. watching Bruce taking his vengeance against Talia. You could even interpret this as he's about to break her back a la Bane if you'd like (obviously I do otherwise I wouldn't have mentioned it). It's another powerful cover in a series filled with them and it is followed up with a powerful first page that encapsulates the very ideal of Batman:
An amazing page of art from last issue's author, and in that final panel, Skull-Faced Talia hits the nail right on the head there, "Why won't he stop?" Sums up Bruce Wayne in so many ways...
This is another issue where I could really use every single beautiful page to illustrate some of the story points. From Bruce essentially speaking Bat, to the way the rain falls, to the facials on this monstrous incarnation of Batman, each image is just so powerful that words do not do them justice.
Man that electricity!
The fact the blimp is labeled Damrung which is most certainly a play on Dammerung/Gotterdammerung, which is something Morrison also used in The Invisibles...
...the child-like fashion in which Heretic behaves as Bruce taunts him, everything about this issue is masterful and playing off all the build of what has come before. Bruce has undergone change after change under the watch of Grant Morrison: father, the Thogal ritual, R.I.P, Final Crisis/Return, and now this Man-Bat Cyborg Revenge Machine. He has seen his only son murdered by his mother, seen the DNA of that son twisted into the monster who served as the murder weapon, and still her perseveres. Batman does not break...
We cut to two of his "sons" (Red Robin & Nightwing) on the hunt for the third (Jason Todd/Wingman) who was abducted by and then tracked down by Knight and Ranger. Turns out, according to Hood, that the Assassin's Girl's School that Spoiler infiltrated during the Old DCU-set Leviathan Special was all part of a Spyral operation. Also the Headmistress of that school, the one we have heard Hood make reference to before, turns out Nightwing recognizes her voice and she in turn seems to know him...
I love the take on the DOUBLE PUNCH that Nightwing and Knight bust out here using their Escrima sticks, and it also shows us all that Batman is far from alone in his quest. Not only is does he never quit, neither do the members of his extended family.
So it is then, on the doorstep of the Wayne Tower, that Bruce discovers the ugly truth of just what Heretic really is and what Talia, the mother of his son, did to create this monster...
That image is horrifying...truly and utterly disgusting really. A child soldier, the face of Damian Wayne on the body of a forced-grown man, with a bleeding hole in his head. It's quite grotesque and yet this creation is not yet the the worst thing Talia does in this issue. Heretic, for his failure, receives the following reward:
Talia's calling card, as it was in Leviathan Strikes! with the head of Jezebel Jet next to the red phone, and the utter destruction of Wayne Tower. Even with all that, the game still isn't done because Talia needs to put on her party clothes. Donning her own Bat-Mask, her own cape, she descends into the bowels of the Batcave where Batman is waiting. The endgame is here...
She calls herself Tiamat, Kali, Medusa, and The Wire Mommy. The next issue caption calls her The Devil's Daughter. Her aim, since she can't be the LOVE of his life, is to now be THE villain in Batman's life. She killed his/her son, blew up his Tower, decimated his city, and now it comes down to the two of them in the heart of the place where Batman was born...
JASON TODD stands in
the street lamp illumination of a Gotham City avenue, only a few minutes
removed from leaving TOMMY ELLIOT’S underground lair. The remnants of a
slight snowfall linger on the concrete as newspapers and trash blow
against his legs. The look on his face is one of a man set free…
JASON
(Caption)
So
this is what freedom feels like. For the first time in…hell…in forever
I feel…free…to follow my destiny. The one I choose. Not Bruce’s plan
or Elliot’s, but the one I want, the one I was destined to embrace.
Funny I guess I can thank Tommy for opening my eyes…
Page 2
1- The headlights of a limousine beam across Jason’s face
JASON
The Hell?
2
– The figure of a woman is visible in the glare of the lights as well
as that of a smaller child, obviously it’s TALIA and DAMIAN.
TALIA
We have been looking all over for you Jason. I should have figured you wouldn’t wander far from Gotham. My mistake.
DAMIAN
Waste of time if you ask me…
3
– The Al Ghul family steps out of the glare and closer to Jason who, a
bit unsteady on his feet, is starting to show the effects of his fight
with Tommy.
JASON
What do you want Talia? Can’t have the father so you come for the son? Didn’t you already try that one on Dick?
TALIA
Cute, but no, we did not travel the road when I saved you after your…return…and we are not going to do it now.
DAMIAN
(Interrupting)
You and Grayson?
TALIA
A story for another time darling.
4
– Jason balls his hand into a fist as Talia places a hand on his cheek,
a gently almost motherly caress. Damian is noticeably perturbed in the
background.
TALIA
I have come to enlist your
services Jason. You do owe me after all. More than you can possibly
pay back, but this small task will have to suffice.
JASON
Cut to the chase. I’ve had enough games tonight.
5 – Talia steps back as Damian steps in between her and Jason. The boy is obviously sizing up Jason in case of a fight.
DAMIAN
This one seems different than Grayson and Drake mother. He reminds me of Grandfather.
TALIA
He
is different Damian. Jason has been exposed to the Pit, but that is not
the only thing that makes him different. Is it Jason?
JASON
The point…Talia…get to it.
Page 3
1 – Talia pulls a picture from her coat pocket and shows it to Jason.
JASON
What is…
TALIA
The
Suit of Sorrows. Something I bequeathed to Bruce when my father
returned, and something that was stolen during that mess with The Black
Glove. I want it back.
2 – Jason looks at the picture
3 – Damian rips it out of his hand and stands defiantly
DAMIAN
You aren’t capable of doing this. Leave it to me mother if you want results.
4 – Talia watches Damian with a smile on her face, proud of her son, and slightly amused. Jason less so…
TALIA
This
isn’t a task meant for you Damian. The likelihood of death is quite
certain and I am not looking to end the Al Ghul-Wayne bloodline quite
yet.
DAMIAN
Understandable. In the unlikely
event of my death, all that would be left of father’s legacy would be
three pretenders…three false…
5 – CLOSE: Jason swiftly
grips Damian by his collar, causing him to drop the photo, and pulls
Damian nice and close so they’re nose to nose
JASON
I would choose your next words carefully runt. I am NOT that man’s son.
DAMIAN
(Smirking)
No you’re not. Only I am Bruce Wayne’s son. The rest of you are…shams.
PAGE 3
1 – Jason lifts Damian off the ground, his fist cocked to deliver a blow to the face.
TALIA
(Off-panel)
JASON…ENOUGH! Put my son down.
2 – Jason drops him, Damian lands on his feet with a smile on his face.
JASON
Afraid I’ll break your boy Talia?
TALIA
No, actually I am afraid he would kill you where he stands and I do not
believe my beloved could stomach his sons killing one another.
JASON
I am not…forget it.
3 – Damian dusts himself off as he returns to his mothers’ side.
DAMIAN
(Mumbles to himself)
I should have slit your throat on sight…
4 – Talia picking up the photo Damian dropped
5 – Talia extends her hand, attempting to hand the photo to Jason
TALIA
I
shall give you twenty four hours to gather yourself before you depart
on your mission Jason. What did happen to you tonight? You seem
rather…disheveled.
JASON
None of your business
lady. And as for your mission, well…to be blunt…shove it. What
happened tonight has opened my eyes to what road my life is taking from
here on out, and despite the debt YOU think I owe, that road has nothing
to do with you…
6 – Close on Jason’s hand pointing at Damian
JASON
…that test tube baby…
DAMIAN
How dare you!
PAGE 4
1 – Shot of Jason, Talia, and Damian as Jason throws the picture into the mud
JASON
…or
this god forsaken suit of yours. Time for me to blaze my own trail
Talia. And if I see your brat again, I will put him in traction…you can
count on that.
DAMIAN
You are welcome to try your hand Todd. I am not afraid of your betters, so why should I fear you?
2 – Shot on Jason as he smiles rather wickedly at the Al Ghul’s.
JASON
Because I’m the heir…the true successor…and I will do for Gotham what Bruce should have done a long time ago.
3 – Talia and Damian watch Jason walk off into the night
TALIA
It is quite a shame Damian.
DAMIAN
What’s that mother?
TALIA
No
matter what that child thinks, he will forever follow in the footsteps
of those who came before him. Be it Robin, Red Hood, or Batman…Jason
Todd will always put himself in the shadow of another.
4 – Overhead shot of Jason walking through the streets of Gotham City
TALIA
(Caption)
He is a truly lost soul…
5 – Tighter shot on Jason’s smiling face…
TALIA
(Caption)
…and I will forever bear some responsibility for his action…
PAGE 5
1 – Jason wakes up inside a posh hotel room with someone pounding on the door.
VOICE
Open the door sir! SIR! OPEN THIS DOOR IMMEDIATELY!
2
– Jason lethargically opens the door to find a wiry mid-40s HOTEL
MANAGER with a credit card in hand and an angry scowl on his face.
JASON
What do you want?
HOTEL MANAGER
Sir,
not only has it been two days since you checked in, in the middle of
the night I may add, but you only paid for a single night up front. I
gave you the courtesy of not disturbing you because of the name on this
account.
3 –Shot of the Wayne Corp. name on the declined bill in the guy’s hand
4 – Back to Jason, looking angrier as he wakes up, with the manager in his face.
HOTEL MANAGER
Only
now, when my desk attempted to process your card, it was declined and
marked to pick up. Now that generally only happens in the event of a
stolen card…
JASON
Well that because it is stolen. So let me get my stuff and I’ll be out of your hair…
5 – The Manager grabs Jason by the shoulder as he turns around to…
HOTEL MANAGER
I don’t think so sir. I must report this, and given whom the card was stolen from, I must detain you until the police arrive.
6
– Jason pivots quickly, slamming the Manager against the wall with
Jason’s forearm grinding against the poor guys windpipe. His name tag
reading “Lewis” is visible…
JASON
(Snarling)
You
will let me get my things. You will look the other way as I leave, and
you will NOT report this to anyone. Unless you want me to come back
and put you into an early retirement…Lewis.
PAGE 6
1 – Jason, walking out the front door of the hotel, his eyes squinted in the sunlight
JASON
(Caption)
Two days. Damn I must have been exhausted. Between Elliot, Talia, and that damn…
2 – Jason’s train of thought is interrupted as a limo slowly comes to a halt in front of him and the rear door swings open.
VOICE
Step inside Mr. Todd. We have much to talk about.
3 – Jason, one hand on the open door, leans in, trying to see who is in the darkened limo
JASON
How do you know who I am?
VOICE
Step inside Mr. Todd and I will answer that question, and possibly any others you may have as a result of the answer.
4 – Jason turns his back to the limo, his face not betraying a hint of thought or feeling as he scans the street around him.
5 – Jason slides into the limo, door not yet closed
JASON
Well what the hell else do I have to do today?
PAGE 7
FULL PAGE
Inside the limo it is dark, as expected, but the face belonging to the
voice is none other than DR. HURT, whole and intact following the
explosion at the end of RIP.
HURT
What a pleasure to finally meet you Mr. Todd.
PAGE 8
1 – Jason ignores the extended gloved hand of Hurt as his eyes scan the interior of the vehicle.
HURT
Why is it that, despite your best efforts, you can never quite shake his training?
JASON
What? What did you say
2 – Hurt sips from a wine glass in his other hand.
I have had nothing but run-around and games for like a week now. Who are you and how do you know my name?
3 – Hurt licks his lips, eyes closed…
HURT
My
name is Simon, and I have a…history…with your family Jason. Once upon I
timed I helped your erstwhile father figure take a deep look inside
himself and it pains me to hear news of his demise.
4 – Jason, shocked look on his face…
JASON
How do you know about that?
5 – Hurt attempts to hand Jason an envelope with the initials JT on it which Jason refuses to take
HURT
Understandable.
You don’t know me, why would you trust I didn’t poison the envelope to
the touch, or put some chemical inside either? Given your training and
chosen occupation, I expected suspicion. Allow me…
6 – Hurt removes the glove on his hand and rips open the envelope, shaking out the letter inside…
HURT
Batman…Bruce…entrusted
me to deliver a letter to certain key people in his life upon his
death. I was also instructed to see to you first.
JASON
(Distrustful)
Me? Really? Why?
7 – Close on Hurt’s very sincere face…
HURT
Because you are the one Jason, you are the inheritor of his legacy…
PAGE 9
1 – Jason takes the letter from Hurt and quickly scans it over, the following panels each flash one word from the content
2 – “Apologize”
3 – “Son”
4 – “Mantle”
5 – “Cowl”
6 – “Batman”
7 – Jason looks at Hurt, stone-faced…
JASON
This is Bruce’s handwriting. I only know…
HURT
…Four
people on this planet capable of forging that? Yes I am aware. That’s what he
told me: only you, Richard, Timothy, and Alfred can mock it. Obviously
given your history none of those three men would forge something like
that.
8 – Jason looks back down at the letter as Hurt pours himself another glass of wine…
JASON
Certainly right about that but…why you? Who the hell are you that Bruce would trust you with…everything?
HURT
A
friend who was there when Batman needed it most, and who made Bruce
comfortable enough to open up. He told me a great deal yes, but
everything…no, not everything.
PAGE 10
1 – The limo comes to a halt and a smile comes to Hurt’s face…
HURT
I do believe we have reached our destination Jason. After you…
2 – A stockier, ugly man recognizable as LA BOSSU opens the limo door and Jason steps out
JASON
And where the hell are we?
3
– A wider shot from behind Jason and the emerging Dr. Hurt reveals a
large mansion, looking very similar to that of Wayne Manor.
HURT
Welcome
to my humble abode as the saying goes. Thank you Monsieur Bossu,
please park the car when you are able. I imagine myself and Mr. Todd
will be here for some time to come.
4 – Cut to the
interior of the mansion which reveals the same area that the Club of
Villains met in Batman #676 as Jason and Dr. Hurt step into the room.
JASON
It’s a nice house Simon but why are we here?
HURT
To pass on the legacy Jason, to officially make you…
5
– Dr. Hurt throws open a double closet door in a grand, theatrical
gesture to reveal the Bat-Costume of the 3rd man, the one who
accompanied Dr. Hurt in the final moments of RIP
HURT
…BATMAN!
PAGE 11
1 – Interior of the Bat Cave where ALFRED and DICK stand flanking a seated TIM in front of the Bat Computer.
DICK
So you’re saying Jason was here, you guys fought, and then…poof…he disappeared?
TIM
Well, someone did shoot me up with tranquilizer Dick. It wasn’t like he just vanished into thin air.
ALFRED
With no evidence to point the way nor a clue as to his whereabouts, it is hard to say who would have assisted Jason…
2 – Closer on Tim’s face as he pushes keys on the keyboard…
TIM
Or who would even want to help that psycho.
VOICE
I believe I can assist you in that…
3
– None of the Bat-family members even bother to look at the source of
the voice, instead keeping their eyes on the computer monitor…
DICK
And what do you have Talia?
ALFRED
Mistress Talia…Master Damian.
4 – Talia steps into the frame, Damian at her side.
DAMIAN
How did you know I was here? I made no noise, none of you even looked away from the screen!
DICK
The smell…
TIM
Kinda like a dog on a leash really…
DICK
Wet dog…
TIM
Old wet dog…
5
– Damian, noticeably perturbed, stomps off into the shadows of the cave
in the background as the other four discuss the fate of Jason Todd.
ALFRED
What have you managed to discover Mistress Talia?
TALIA
Jason is lost…
TIM
That’s like saying the Joker is crazy…
ALFRED
Master Timothy…
TIM
Am I wrong?
PAGE 12
1 – Talia punches a few buttons on the computer and a picture of Jason pops up.
TALIA
No
you are not wrong, but you also did not let me finish. Jason is lost
to your cause and mine. He refused to help me in my search for the Suit
of Sorrows…
DICK
I think Jason was lost to our “cause” quite a long time ago…
2 – Talia hits a few more buttons, a blinking red dot pops up on a map…
TIM
You want to be the new computer geek?
TALIA
He
told us that he was the rightful heir, that he would do for Gotham what
Bruce should have done, and then he walked off into the city.
DICK
What the hell did Bruce’s message say to him?
3 – Talia looks at the three men…
DICK
What?
Me, Tim, Alfred…we each got those little holographic messages from him,
and Tim said Jason did too. So what the hell did Jason’s say?
ALFRED
We will likely never know. Master Bruce set it up so each was erased as soon as the recipient viewed it.
4 – Tim stands up, an angry fire in his face…
TIM
There is no way in hell that Bruce would even suggest to Jason he should step up to the plate. That job is yours Dick…
DICK
We’ll see about that…
5 – Tim is right in Dick’s face, Alfred stepping between them…
TIM
What are you afraid of Dick?
ALFRED
This
is not the time for that particular argument young man! Master
Richard, Master Timothy, Mistress Talia, what we need to know is what to
expect from Jason in the coming weeks.
PAGE 13
1
– Damian comes back into the frame, carrying the Red Hood helmet that
had been left behind during the fight between Jason & Tim.
DAMIAN
You can expect this Robin to step up and take charge of the torch that I should be carrying.
2 – Damian throws the helmet at Dick…
DICK
If
Jason decides he is meant to be Batman, we will cross that bridge when
we come to it. My main concern there isn’t the if…but how he would
decide to be Batman…
3 – Jason as Red Hood stealing Amazo
4 – Jason as Red Hood assaulting Joker
5 – Jason standing on top of his own grave during “Hush”
6 – Talia & Damian walking off the scene towards the stairs into the manor, the three men watch
TALIA
Just
be prepared for the worst when it comes to Jason Todd. I unleashed
something broken onto the world when I helped him into the pit, but it
was your mentor who broke him in the first place. Now you will have to
fix it…
7 – Shot of Alfred, Dick, and Tim all looking at
one another with the certainty that sooner or later they will have to
deal with Jason
PAGE 14
FULL PAGE
Jason
standing inside Hurt’s mansion, adorned in this version of the Bat-Suit
minus the hood covering his face. Dr. Hurt stands behind him…
HURT
A perfect fit Mr. Todd.
PAGE 15
1 – Jason, reeling from the events of the past week, looks down at the garb he has on as Hurt hands him the helmet.
JASON
It’s…perfect.
HURT
It’s the last model of the suit that Bruce passed on to me. The version perfect for the mission in this day and age he said.
2 – Closer on Jason as he looks at the helmet, he may as well be calling it Horatio….
JASON
Why didn’t he leave this with Alfred?
3 – Dr. Hurt hands Jason a pair of guns, nearly identical to the ones Jason had in the past…
HURT
Do you really think Alfred would understand this Jason? Do you think Richard or Timothy would understand these right here?
JASON
Bruce carried guns once…
4 – Hurt takes the helmet from Jason’s hand…
HURT
Yes,
and set them down when he realized that guns are not “defensive”
weapons. But he also knew the time may come when Batman would have to
pick them up again. That time is now, the Batman to do so is you.
JASON
I…
5 – Hurt slides the helmet on over Jason’s head as he holsters the guns at his side…
HURT
This
is the destiny Bruce intended for you, but it is also the road you have
always longed to travel. The burden of Gotham City is now on your
shoulders Jason. You are the only one that can handle what crime has
evolved into.
6 – Close on Hurt’s face as he looks at Jason in full Bat-regalia
HURT
Crime
has evolved, and so must the crime fighter. Jean Paul Valley showed
Bruce that years ago but he was too scared to accept it then. Only now,
as he felt the world closing in on him, was Bruce able to accept
Batman’s evolution.
PAGE 16
FULL PAGE
Close
head shot of Jason in the new Bat mask, full face covering on, and a
red hue emanating from underneath the eye pieces. One can imagine Jason
smiling underneath with a tear of joy in his eye.
HURT
(Off panel)
Jason Todd is that evolution.
PAGE 17
1 – Exterior of Hurt’s mansion as a Batmobile-esque vehicle drives away in the distance.
2 – Over the shoulder shot of Dr. Hurt watching the vehicle disappear into the distance.
VOICE
(Off panel)
That was almost too easy…
3 – La Bossu steps into the shot as Dr. Hurt turns to face him on the steps
HURT
How do you mean Bossu?
BOSSU
Turning
Jason Todd into the Batman YOU want. It was simple. I almost wish The
Black Glove was still intact to wager on how long it would have taken.
4 – Hurt smiles at the memory of The Black Glove’s gamble on Batman…
HURT
The Black Glove may be dead, but my promise to destroy Batman and Bruce Wayne is deeper than a mere wager.
BOSSU
If what we have heard is true, then your goals have already been accomplished.
PAGE 18
1 – Hurt puts his hand on the shoulder of Bossu and chuckles.
HURT
No, not entirely. WayneCorp still stands and the other children could still pick up the mantle of the Bat.
BOSSU
Then why play this game with Jason Todd? Why not expose your identity to the world Thomas and ruin both in one fell swoop?
2 – Hurt, looking perturbed at being referred to as Thomas, smiles and shakes his head.
HURT
Because it doesn’t suit me at the moment Bossu. With WayneCorp I have the Thomas Elliot card to play still.
BOSSU
How so?
3 – A shot of Elliot in a bathroom somewhere stitching together his “Bruce Wayne” face.
HURT
(Caption)
I
anonymously nudged Elliot in the right direction as to a way in and out
of his gilded cage in Wayne Towers and provided him a route into the
cave.
4 – Elliot sliding a needle and thread into his flesh, gritting his teeth in pain
HURT
(Caption)
It was pure happenstance that Jason Todd was there but it proved to only push the game ahead faster.
5 – Elliot staring at his reflection in the mirror, blood streaking from his wounds.
HURT
(Caption)
And
what happened in that tunnel, Tommy’s behavior was…predictable, and exactly what Jason needed to put his head in the right direction.
PAGE 19
1- Back to the Hurt Mansion, now the interior as Dr. Hurt pours himself & Bossu a glass of wine.
BOSSU
And the daughter of Al Ghul? That is not something easily manipulated.
HURT
Thankfully I didn’t have to do a thing. Her equally predictable nature played perfectly into the game.
2 – Shot of Talia and Damian sitting inside a limousine as it drives thru Gotham City
HURT
(Caption)
Talia, despite her strength, always runs to Bruce in the event of an emergency.
3 – Close shot of Talia’s teary eyes as she stares out the window at her beloved’s city.
HURT
(Caption)
Even
without Bruce, she turns to his family for assistance, and with
something as potentially dangerous as the Suit of Sorrows on the line…
4 – Shot of Talia watching as Damian is actually sitting still, mediating as the car travels.
HURT
(Caption)
…she
could only turn to the family cast-away for assistance. His refusal
was a given, as is the likelihood she will figure out the suit is in the
hands of the Order of Purity once more.
5 – Close shot of Damian, his eyes closed in mediation
HURT
(Caption)
And
Damian played his role to a hilt. The only true son of Bruce Wayne, he cannot help himself but to shove that into the faces of his “brothers” at
every opportunity.
6 – Back to the Hurt Mansion…
BOSSU
And Jason is by far the weakest one of the lot from what I observed today.
HURT
Perceptive as always. You are as intelligent as you are now ugly…
BOSSU
I only wish I could thank The Joker in kind.
PAGE 20
1
– Shot of Jason, still in bat-garb, as he descends the stairs back into
the abandoned subway tunnel which Tommy Elliot had co-opted.
HURT
(Caption)
And Jason….poor Jason, he wants to believe so badly.
2 – Shot of Jason as he begins to turn the cave into his own personal Bat-Cave
HURT
(Caption)
He wants so much to be part of their family that he will believe the most obvious lies if they play into his needs.
3 – Back to Hurt Mansion as Bossu and Hurt sit at a table…
BOSSU
No
matter what that boy has said, he obviously wants nothing more than to
be tied to Batman. When Batman was here, he took on the identity of an
old villain.
HURT
Jason Todd is the picture of an
abandoned child Bossu. Between a father he did not know, a mother who
left him to die at The Joker’s hands, and a foster father who never
avenged his death…
BOSSU
Jason Todd has more parental issues than he knows how to handle.
4 – Shot of Jason as he carves stone into a Bat-Logo
HURT
(Caption)
And
as with many cases, the son is turning into what the father wanted. Or
at least the vision I have given Jason of what Bruce would want.
5 – Shot of Jason sitting in a chair in the middle of his own Bat-cave
HURT
(Caption)
And when Jason is ready to unleash himself upon the world…
PAGE 21
FULL PAGE
Jason,
in full Bat-Gear, striding through fire with images of Dick, Bruce,
Alfred, The Joker, Tim, Damian, Knight & Squire, Huntress, Two Face,
Penguin and others scattered amongst the flames.
HURT
(Caption)
…He will destroy the legacies of Bruce Wayne and Batman more completely than I ever could.
END
So this story continues into my version of "Battle for the Cowl" (hence why some things are left open-ended) of which I will post the two parts that I completed before I got sidetracked with life stuff (like my wedding) and completely lost my place mentally as far as being "in" the story. I'll elaborate more on that and where I was heading when I post the 2nd part and who knows, perhaps rereading & publishing them will get me back to the place I was at when I started and I can complete my take on "BFTC".
It's been a minute as the kids say...my two week gap between blogs turned into a three month hiatus pretty quickly and in the interim I missed quite a few moments in comic book history.
"The Amazing Spider-Man" has come and gone without a review from yours truly (I liked it), but I think I'll save the details for the Blu-Ray release.
Days of Future Past is coming to the big screen; I'll have to find my soapbox somewhere else to discuss this one. I'm not opposed, just let me say that for now...
"AvX" is creeping on it's 10th issue this coming Wednesday and I haven't touched on it at all (mixed feelings) but that I will save until the story is completed.
There's this whole MarvelNOW! gimmick on the horizon that I have extremely mixed feelings on that I will elaborate on along with "AVX".
This month marks the one year anniversary of DC's "New 52" relaunch so I am shooting to touch on that in two weeks when it is officially at it's close.
And then there is the movie that to date has exceeded an $800 million gross worldwide since it's release: "Dark Knight Rises". This I think is the most appropriate focus for my first blog back given my pretty obvious leanings towards anything Bat-related. Warning, spoilers will abound so if you haven't seen the movie yet, this is your one & only warning...well besides the title...
Sorry about that flash in the center there, but I figured in this instance I would rather take a picture of my own poster than download a Google image. Also my own proof that I attended the full-on Trilogy showing in IMAX! What a treat that was, especially to finally see "Batman Begins" in that format and to experience "Dark Knight" one more time in theatres.
Before we get to "DKRises", let me touch on a few little things in the other flicks that I found funny;
1) King Joffrey from "Game of Thrones" in "Begins"
2) The crowd largely laughing at Joker's "Well hello beautiful" greeting to Rachel Daws in "TDK"
3) The AMC staff telling us we weren't allowed to clap or cheer or move around wearing the lanyards they gave us to distinguish us as Trilogy viewers because people were complaining about the noise...
4) Also AMC staff attempting to do a quiz game with prizes in a jam-packed IMAX theatre without microphones so we could actually hear what they were asking. Bonus fail points for the fact that the few questions they actually asked were about "TDK" and none about "Begins"...
Just a few little tidbits about my experience going to the Trilogy that I found humerous. Now onto the main show...
That was a hell of a way to kick things off with the mid-air airplane rescue sequence that introduced us to Bane and his status quo in the Nolan-verse. Yeah, while there were some points of dialogue I found hard to understand, it was not a movie-killing dilemma and by my third viewing of the film it wasn't even an afterthought. What this scene was for me was a great contrast to the open of "TDK" which, as odd as this may sound, was small. It was a bank robbery, even with the giant school bus crash it was still just a robbery scene.
This, this was so much bigger with the mid-air gymnastics and the replacement corpse and the plane ripping in pieces and the sacrifical lamb who, for me, was a sign that something deeper was going on here. It takes a true fanatic to sacrifice himself for a cause and this was the first nod towards the League of Shadows I'd say.
Since I'm bringing it up there, I may as well touch upon The League and how that was one of my favorite elements of this movie. The inclusion of The League gave "DKR" a tie to "Begins", a touchstone in the history that created this version of Bruce Wayne, and a link to the "Legacy" & "Bane of the Demon" comic book stories in which Bane was involved with Ra's & Talia Al Ghul. In fact Ra's was hoping Bane would become Talia's consort!
This was just one of many comic book elements that seeped into the foundation on which "DKR" was built without selling out to the "true to the comic book" crowd that infuriate me so much when movie-time comes around. For me, there are just certain elements that MUST be kept intact in order for the character to function but beyond that I somewhat enjoy seeing a different take on otherwise familiar elements of these characters I have been following for most of my life. Thomas & Martha Wayne have to die, Uncle Ben has to die, Wolverine has to get adamantium, Xavier & Magneto must be friends-turned-foes, those are character fundamentals but how they get there, and the fallout from those events, well that's half the fun in porting a comic book character into a different medium. There's nothing wrong with a straight interpretation like "Watchmen" but for me it lacks the creative soul of the Nolan-verse Batmen or "X-Men: First Class"
That same creative soul is evident in the way in which Catwoman is portrayed in this interpretation. She's not Frank Miller's prostitute nor is she just a straight-up thief, rather a more layered character who is doing what she feels she has to in order to survive. It was a character brought to life wonderfully by Anne Hathaway, and admittedly I, like many, didn't think she could get it done but I kept my mind open and was rewarded handsomely for it. It was in little touches like a curl of the lips before jumping out the Wayne Manor window or a look in the eye when the doors of the bar are bolted shut. Hathaway was a complete character and in a wholely different fashion than Michelle Pfeiffer.
Pfeiffer's Catwoman was a tragic figure who was tossed around by life, quite literally as a matter of fact, and turned her rage at being nearly murdered into an overall disdain for men. She was much less the master-thief and much more a female creature of vengeance, a countpart to match Batman. We saw the end of Selina Kyle's story and were provided with just enough details to draw our own conclusions about the life that brought her to Max Schreck.
In "DKR" we are introduced to Selina Kyle's life-in-progress, there is no stopping to tells us how she got where she is, how she became this master burglar, and what the life is that she's trying to get away from. I think it's safe to say that all that backstory, that info dump, it wasn't needed in her character, especially since the desperation for a new life is written all over the face of Hathaway's Selina Kyle. She warns Bruce of the storm coming, but she's obviously just as scared of it when it actually comes at the hands of Bane. She wants free of this life, but is immediately regretful of the consequences of her actions when that gate slams shut and traps Bats with Bane. She is not wholly evil, hell I don't think she is remotely evil, just another lost & confused soul in the chaotic mess that is Gotham City.
Before I forget, and lest he seem neglected, I must point out how great a job I think Tom Hardy did with Bane and how much I enjoy watching him transcend roles that could so easily just be "tough guy" types. I thought he did that wonderfully in "Warrior" and was somewhat traumatized/surprised by his character "Bronson", and I think he brought that same ability to Bane. As any long-time reader of Bat-comics could tell you, Bane is a character that seems hard for a writer to get a grasp on. He was created for the sole purpose of breaking Batman and once that goal was accomplished he floundered for many years until Gail Simone got ahold of him for "Secret Six". He is a character easy to write off as a brute, an unthinking muscle bound thug especially considering the way the super-steroid Venom was such an integral part of his character's origin. The truth was that he was an extremely intelligent being, the guy most likely to spend his time reading the prison library rather than fighting in the yard.
Check out "Vengeance of Bane" to see the source material on Bane's origin and you will appreciate how it was adapted to the movie and co-opted for Talia Al Ghul's origin story (another wonderful bit of comic book influence). As for Hardy, I thought he did a tremendous job of coming off as a man with a plan, a thinking man albeit a brutally violent one when necessary. The entire first fight scene between Bats & Bane, especially as a long-time comic reader, was exceptionally brutal in large part because I knew what was coming at the end. The close-ups on Bane shattering the cowl, each shot of a desperate Bats trying to stay on his feet, the calm nature in which Bane carried himself in this fight, it all added up to a gut-wrenching experience as a viewer. Conversely, the scene in which Bane frees the prisoners in Blackgate while using the picture of Harvey Dent accompanied with Gordon's words...that was just powerful.
Part of that was due to the flash-forwards of Gotham tearing itself apart (fulfillment of The Joker's words to some degree I suppose) but part of that was also due to Hardy's eyes and his body language, his two most important tools of communication given the mask concealing a large portion of his face. Since I've mentioned the mask I may as well get one of my complaint out of the way now...no it's not about the mask muffling his voice, like I said before that quickly became unnoticeable for me. My complaint is how they never truly described it's function beyond something along the lines of "it keeps the agony at bay"; I wasn't looking to have my hand-held here but I thought it was a very important piece of who the character was so it should have been elaborated on to some degree. I suppose I will have to wait for the Blu-Ray for this one as recent interviews give a clue that there was a scene (or scenes) cut from the film addressing this point.
That complaint aside, it was wonderful to have a character that was much the opposite of Batman. In Ra's Al Ghul we had a man who was essentially a complete equal both physically & mentally for Batman while in The Joker you had a man who could not match up physically but whose brain was his true weapon. Ra's wanted to use chaos to create order which is in reality quite close to what Bruce himself does. The Joker created chaos for the sake of chaos and had no desire to see any sort of order born from it. He wanted to prove that everyone, at their core, is just like him. In Bane, Bats had an opponent in the same vein as Ra's, only infinitely more physically dominating. Bats had no hope in a fight against him, even a fully recovered Bruce required Selina Kyle's assistance to survive his second go-around with Bane. Still, there was one thing Bane had in common with The Joker...an ace in the hole!
The revelation that Marion Cottillard's Miranda Tate character was in fact Talia Al Ghul was expected by pretty much everyone who had been following the movie through its production, BUT when it finally happened, it caught me completely off-guard. It was as if the lengthy wait between her introduction and the reveal caused me to think that we had all been wrong about this one. Yet just as quickly as the knife slid into the seams of the Bat-armor, it all came rushing back to me that this was the moment I had been waiting for since Miranda stepped onto the screen. Both the pre & post revelatory character portrayals were quite well done I must say, and I truly appreciated some of the comic-booky elements that were brought in...like say Talia's seduction of Bruce (see "Son of the Demon") which was an element I have seen many people question. For me, once the reveal hit, it all just seemed part of a larger plan to pull Bruce closer into her web. Shared parental pain, sex, the ability to save WayneCorp from the financial ruin both Bruce himself & Bane heaped upon it, and ultimately getting Bruce to turn over control of the bomb to her. This is true villany if you ask me, not anything Selina Kyle did, rather working over the course of years to insinuate yourself into someone's life, slowly earning their trust, than using that trust to stab them in the back and destroy their whole city. And her death scene...the look on Talia's face as her life fades away...freaky...
But it wasn't just Bruce she suckered in...it was Alfred, with Michael Caine amazing in his role of terrified father who has finally reached the point where he had to let Bruce pick himself back up (harkening back to "Begins"). Despite the "why do we fall" phrase being used several times over in the first two movies, Bruce never really had to pick himself back up...Alfred was always there to help him get up. Whether it be physcially like when Wayne Manor burned down in "Begins" or spiritually during the whole "some men want to watch the world burn" speech, Alfred was always there for Bruce. This was the first time in the trilogy he really had to do it alone. It was a scene borrowed, but altered, from the "Knightquest: The Search" story arc, an arc that sadly was not reprinted in the recently released "Knightfall: Knightquest" collection nor is it in the "Knightfall: Knight's End" collection coming out soon. Maybe it's because DC didn't want to remind people Bruce's broken back was healed via mutant powers. If not for the coda at the end with Alfred, Bruce, & Selina, I think my heart would still be broken for Alfred with the scene in which he had to bury his "son" and confess to the Wayne's his failures.
Then there's Lucius who vouched for Miranda as well, just like Alfred trying to push Bruce into her arms in hopes it would bring him back to reality. Morgan Freeman was as good as ever in his role as the eager weapons maker...Q to Bruce's James Bond I suppose, and while his role was nowhere near the level of import to "DKR" that it was to "TDK", his presence at the funeral scene is testament enough to how integral he was to the story as a whole. Which brings me to the third man in Batman's life, fourth if you count Thomas Wayne's enduring influence, James Gordon...
Gordon, one could say, has been a part of Bruce's life almost as long as Alfred given that touching scene in "Begins" in which a young, presumably beat-cop Gordon give a young, lonely, terrified Bruce his coat and tries to convince him it will all be okay. It was a moment that actually seemed somewhat hopeful, despite its inherent sadness, and one that I was quite glad to see revisited as the film drew to its close. The "DKR" moment between Batman and Gordon in which Batman recounts that shared event in the life of Gordon & Bruce Wayne was a wonderful nod to the moment in "Begins" when Bats quoted Katie Holmes' Rachel Dawes right back to her before diving off a rooftop. It was that revelatory moment when Batman willingly dropped the mask to someone he trusted and allowed a person to see that it was Bruce inside the Bat.
Ultimately though, that question of identity, after seeing all three movies in one sitting, I believe I can safely say that identity is the central theme of the entire Nolan-verse and that is the role, well one of the roles, that the character of Robin John Blake played...
He's a parallel to Bruce, an orphan but one who went the legitimate route to defend & protect the city that took his parents from him by becoming a cop. He's tied into the Wayne history by the fact he once lived in a boy's home that was funded by the Wayne Foundation, he's tied to Batman via an apparent belief that the Bat will come back from his self-imposed exile, and he's tied to Bruce Wayne by a knowledge as to who really is behind the Batman mask. Now, here's my other big complaint on the story arc of the movie...and again, it's not one I feel like it's a "hand-holding", rather one that could have, SHOULD have, been fleshed out more. The overly simplistic explanation for how Blake knows Bruce is Batman didn't sit right with me on first viewing, on third viewing, nor tonight 3 weeks since my last viewing. This is an instance where I am hating an aspect of the movie for it's missed opportunity...for the time that could have been devoted to Blake truly earning his stripes as a detective, by taking his hunch and searching for proof. This would certainly have been a much more interesting side-bar than the story of Matthew Modine's Foley character and would have played marvelously into the ultimate pay-off of this movie when Blake takes on the possessions of the World's Greatest Detective. Missed opportunity...
All that being said, I thought Joseph Gordon-Levitt did an amazing job in his role and served perfectly as an amalgam of the Dick Grayson, Jason Todd, and Tim Drake Robin's. He was an orphan & a cop like Grayson, a hothead like Todd, and figured out the secret like Drake...it was something I truly appreciated and I for one like that he wasn't simply named Dick Grayson. It at least left some mystery as to his ultimate fate...also the cute little nod to Robin being his full name put a smile on my face.
So what does all of this have to do with identity and where does Bruce Wayne fit into his own story? Well the conceit of the Nolan-verse since "Begins" is that "It's not who I am underneath, but what I *do* that defines me", or in other words it doesn't matter a wit WHO Batman is.
As a matter of fact, a large part of what makes "TDK" work, a very large part of its entire premise is about grooming Harvey Dent to serve as a replacement for Batman...not literally stepping into the Bat-suit, but accomplishing the same goals legitimately as District Attorney. This movie especially wasn't just about Bruce running in his tights chasing The Joker, but was all about identity. No one knew who The Joker truly was and it didn't matter because his identity wouldn't have changed a thing about his actions. His identity was just as unimportant to the public as the identity of Batman was...or at least until Joker put a spotlight on the question. As Harvey pointed out, no one cared until things started going wrong then fear caused everyone to cry for his unmasking. That's why Harvey took the bullet because he understood that Batman's true identity did not matter in the long run. In fact the only identity that mattered was that of Harvey's and that ended up splintered right down the middle....
And that question of identity, that is the question answered by the ending of the movie when Bruce fades off into the sunset (or explodes if you want) and leaves the entirety of the Batcave in the hands of John Blake. He's passing the mantle of the Bat on because, in truth, all that matters is that the man behind the mask strive for the same ideals as that of Bruce Wayne.
In the end, the Batman is a symbol, one created by Bruce Wayne, one mythologized by the citizens & criminals of Gotham, and one that will endure in statue form & possibly in the form of one Robin John Blake in the movie world, and perpetually in the hearts and souls of the fans who have kept Batman alive for the last seventy-plus years. The only movie question would be whether or not Warner Bros. would have the gumption to have a Batman who is not Bruce Wayne gracing the silver screen? DC Comics had the balls to have Dick Grayson in the cowl when "TDK" was released instead of rushing to get Bruce back into gear. It would be intriguing to see WB do the same for the Bat-Film franchise...
So where does Bruce Wayne fit into all this chaos that has gone on around him? Well I think the conclusion I have come to is that much like how the identity of Batman does not matter, to a degree the story of Bruce is the least important aspect of the Nolan-verse (funny how that's the exact opposite of how Nolan explains the trilogy).
The Bruce we see in "Begins" is not that different from the Bruce we see in "TDK", and really there's not much change in the angry, stubborn, driven, arrogant man in "DKR" until after he is broken. It is only then that we see Bruce evolve from a man clinging onto the dead (parents, then Rachel) or his past (parents, then Rachel) and into a man actually looking at a future. For two-and-a-half movies we are witness to Bruce reacting to the events around him and it is only in the latter half of "DKR" that we see Bruce making an active choice to change his life (well first he's gotta help save Gotham). I believe Bruce had to hit rock bottom in his own life, literally after being tossed into the pit, and he had to see his city in that same position in order to affect any true change. Perhaps he also had to find someone he thought could pick up where he left off...and yes I know that was a key point of "TDK" but that Bruce functioned on the idea that if Harvey was the guy than he could have Rachel despite the fact that Rachel clearly was with Harvey no matter what..."Don't make me your one hope for a normal life" was what she said to Bruce and "I'm not sure if they day will ever come when you don't need Batman", is what I believe the words in the letter were...even Rachel knew that Bruce had not changed enough to survive without the cape and cowl. Despite his statements that it didn't matter who was behind the mask, I don't think he truly embraced that idea until "DKR".
So with Nolan's Bat-Trilogy closed, and probably another reboot in store for the future, I think I can saw that this is a series that for me stands on par with the Original Star Wars Trilogy or the Lord of the Rings Trilogy. It is truly a wonderful unified piece of work bringing in original story elements, pieces of comic book lore, and creating a world that feels as real...despite adhering to comic book notions of "real"...as the world we exist in. If you have only seen these movies and have never ventured into the world of the comic book or graphic novel, I strongly suggest you pick up "Year One" to see the soil in which "Batman Begins" grew, grab "The Killing Joke" to see a great tale of The Joker or "Face The Face" for a top notch Two Face arc...neither of which have direct impact on "TDK" but it's harder to pint down a specific comic tale that does, and "Vengeance of Bane", "No Man's Land", or "Legacy" to see some of the elements that fueled "DKR".
I also strongly suggest you take the time to watch all three movies in one sitting to see the themes that
carry over from one to the next, it really enhances that unified feel. So this is my thank you to all of the people that made this Trilogy happen; from writers to actors to directors to camera operators to the continuity editors and beyond, without all of you none of this would have been possible.
-----------------------------------
So next time I think I will tackle the one year anniversary of the New 52...the good & the bad & everything in-between as well as how I feel about the next year of this project. In the meantime, go check out my Amazon Store linked over on the right or my Wish List below and check out my archives to read all the other comic book minutea I've written about over the last few years. Oh and I'm quite excited because for the first time ever, I'm going to the Baltimore Comic-Con in September! If you're in the area, check it out right here! Stan Lee, Scott Snyder, Garth Ennis...there's a whole calvacade of talent on tap!
Sadly one of the men who was scheduled, a legend in the comics industry, just passed away a few days ago at the age of 85, Joe Kubert. For more on his life read this obit from the NY Times or check ou this biography that was written about him a few years ago. His influence on comics will live on for a long time to come not only in his sons Adam & Andy, but also in the numerous men & women who have come through his school. This may not have been one of his most famous, but it was probably one of the first times I saw his art:
