Batman "Hush" (Jim Lee, Loeb)

since I stopped reading about 12 years, I don't have anything to say, but I looked at some of the pages of this and thought: "why don't we turn this into a thread about our favourite Batman artists?"
so, I'm going to go with Norm Breyfogle, who was doing Detective when I quit reading. He had a great, very kinetic style. Very angular and just similar enough to Jim Aparo who was doing Batman at the time that there was a cohesive image of the character.

Kelley Jones for making Batman's horns so long, and GREG "MUTHA" RUCKA as a writer (though in honesty, I don't read his Bat titles).

I also really liked Matt Wagner's stuff. That guy can do dark!

Frank Miller. More when I go home and dig up those black&white/white&black issues from a few years ago.

Dave Mazzuchelli!

I still own a sketch of Year One Batman that he made for me many moons ago.

Not that he did much, but Alex Toth for me. I really like ancient Jerry Robinson and slightly less ancient Aparo, and Miller and Mazzuchelli too.

I like Bruce Timm's art for Batman Adventures a lot.

Mike Mignola did some great stories, like Gotham By Gaslight and a Secret Origins on Man-Bat.

I realize this dates me, but Don Newton, who did Detective Comics back in the 485-505 range. The guy was just remarkable with chiaroscuro--way, WAY underrated cartoonist.

Mazzuchelli is gawd. So's Darwyn Cooke, but he's a relative newcomer to things Batman (but Batman: Ego was great stuff.) Neal Adams, anyone?

Unfortunately, the Hush storyline leaves a lot to be desired. I hear the kids like it, though.

OMG D0ug1as U R so00 01d LOL!!!! (A/S/L??? 8-p)

My personal Batty faves = Alan Davis & Paul Neary (Detective Comics #569-575 - smoooooth), Brian Bolland (The Killing Joke), Jim Aparo (during Jim Starlin's et. al. tenure as writer, post-Year One, issues #409-435 - him inked by Mike DeCarlo was marvelous, esp. in that silent issue John Byrne wrote; I loved the skewed TV-show-villian mouth-agape panels), Norm Brefogyle (too bad the writing wasn't better), Neal Adams (yeah, yeah, yeah, but you cannot resist his MANBAT! - at least, I can't, since one of my first comics was one of those record player things featuring Manbat's origin, & the art mixed w/ the narration created a great spooky vibe that gives me goosebumps even today 20+ years later just thinking of it) (AND it served as a precursor to Valeria the She-Bat!). Honorable mentions - Denys Cowan & Bill Sienkiewicz in DC #598-600 (the arc written by Sam Hamm, the script writer for the 1st Batman flick), & Jerry Bingham (in the Son of the Demon GN - was that the name?) (yeah, he was obviously emulating Adams & John Buscema & Gene Colon, but damn he did a good job!) . Oh, yeah - and the other folks mentioned by everyone else, they're OK. (Batman: Year One, unfortunately, brings back memories of Batman: Year Two, and please note that Year Two is a pale pale shade of Year One, hence the "unfortunately".)

_Hush_ is OK - it's fun, Jim Lee's art looks fantastic (even if every woman possesses the same smoldering sultriness), & Jeph Loeb isn't fouling things up too much, though some of the omniscient narration gets a bit tiresome, as does the New Villian Every Month! gimmick. The art makes up for any story shortcomings, tho. I'm REALLY looking forward to the upcoming arcs & minis, tho - the 100 Bullets writer & artist are jumping on board in 8 months, & there are also minis by Paul Jenkins & Jae Lee AND the aforementioned Mr. Rucka & Klaus Janson coming up. (AND there's Mr. Loeb teaming up w/ Ed McGuinness on a Superman & Batman regular series that looks to be as much of a blockbuster - as in "movie" - as _Hush_ currently is).

& Lee, I am SHOCKED that you aren't reading _Gotham Central_ (or, for that matter, _Catwoman_) - they blow this current Batman hoohah out of the water (tho they aren't swimming in the same pond with Lee & Loeb). & speaking of Catwoman, Cameron Stewart (the semi-regular artist on the title) is fantastic; kinda reminds me of Darwyn Cooke or Paul Dini (that stylized cartoony look), but less angular, & has a way w/ small panels (tho that's probably due to writer Ed Brubaker, too) (heh, probably).

Matt, don't be a poopy pants. Leave those kids alone!

ALSO - the Batman / Planetary one-shot (just out last week; finding a copy might be tough) has artist John Cassaday essaying 5 different Batman looks, paying homage to (via the sincerest form of flattery) Neal Adams, Carmine Infantino (via Adam West), Frank Miller, Bob Kane, and (I think?) Alex Ross. He nails every single look (because, y'know, he's John Cassaday), & as a bonus, it's probably the first truly fulfilling Planetary one-shot, story-wise.

Reminds me of that one Batman Adventures episode where it was told in three segments, one of which was Bats' fight against the mutant leader in DKR, and the other two segments were told in the stylees of other Bat-eras.

I really don't pay much attn to DC for some reason even though I still abstractly revere Batman as a character. I'll certainly check those two titles out, and it sort of reminds me to think about the "Selina's Big Score" HC, which has the sweetest Mignola pinup.

Oh and the Sienkiewicz Bat issues: did he just ink/pencil?

The ones I mentioned, he was just inking. I think he actually did some full-on art in Batman #400, though - that was a smorgasborg-type issue, if I recall correctly.

the Loeb & Sale Batman limited series - Long Halloween and then Dark Victory - are great fun.

the current Batman v. Planetary title I read today was also enjoyable.

Daver thank thank thank you for the Gotham Central rec. If it was simply the Brubacker/Rucka writing it'd be aces, but that Mike Lark guy, he's a dead-on ringer for Mazzuchelli! Fierce!

I am preparing my geekery juices to spew at Rucka et al at Comic Con obv.

I'm reading that soggy biscuit thread too much.