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Post by james on May 8, 2023 7:22:04 GMT -5
With Batman only 100 issues away from its 1000th issue and not knowing were comics will be in 8 years, (I’m a little nervous actually) I was listening to IFANBOY podcast and they were not thrilled with issue 900. They felt that the story was mediocre at best for such a milestone issue. I did not read it as I am not a huge Zdarsky fan or with comics in general these days but I started to wonder what do those who have read Batman over the years want in an issue 1000.
Should it be a single self contained story? Should it be the end of a year long storyline? Should it have 1 creative team or writers and artists spanning Batman’s life? Should it be cannon or a reboot or just a really fun one shot story?
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Post by Deleted on May 8, 2023 8:26:11 GMT -5
I may be a little old-fashioned (that's probably an understatement), but I feel like a major milestone issue might be extra special as a standalone event. And with the vast history Batman has had, I would love to see a mix of creators contributing that truly reflect that, even though many creators from Batman's past are no longer with us (and 8 years is a bit of a span still as well).
Batman has ranged from extra campy to extra grim and gritty and all points between over the years, I think it might be fun to see nods to all of those. I think of the Jeff Parker and Michael Allred original Batman '66 for one type of contribution, Frank Miller of course, Jim Lee/Hush style, Dini and/or Timm maybe, and whatever are the bigger names from more recent times (it would be nice to be inclusive of readers of all ages for this type of event) as some examples.
This is another older example, but I always liked my collection of the original Batman B&W short stories, maybe it could follow a similar format to that in an extra pages issue with a series of creative shorts focusing on "snapshots" of Batman through the ages.
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Post by james on May 8, 2023 8:52:16 GMT -5
I may be a little old-fashioned (that's probably an understatement), but I feel like a major milestone issue might be extra special as a standalone event. And with the vast history Batman has had, I would love to see a mix of creators contributing that truly reflect that, even though many creators from Batman's past are no longer with us (and 8 years is a bit of a span still as well). I agree . I too am old fashioned and I would want a 1 shot. Some of my favorite stories growing up were Marvel Annuals. XMEN annual 3, Amazing Spiderman Annual 15, Fantastic Four Annual 14. The other thing these all had in common, other than being Marvel and not DC, was one creative team telling 1 cohesive story with a beginning and middle and and end covering the whole 40 some pages and I can't forget how much I loved the PINUPS in the back. All this made for the annuals and the milestone issues something I looked forward to every year. That's what I would want to see in Batman 1000. Sadly, in 8 years, there probably wont be floppy comics or even a comics division of DC but for this post let's assume there will be.
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Post by MDG on May 8, 2023 9:31:33 GMT -5
I may be a little old-fashioned (that's probably an understatement), but I feel like a major milestone issue might be extra special as a standalone event. And with the vast history Batman has had, I would love to see a mix of creators contributing that truly reflect that, even though many creators from Batman's past are no longer with us (and 8 years is a bit of a span still as well). I agree . I too am old fashioned and I would want a 1 shot. Some of my favorite stories growing up were Marvel Annuals. XMEN annual 3, Amazing Spiderman Annual 15, Fantastic Four Annual 14. The other thing these all had in common, other than being Marvel and not DC, was one creative team telling 1 cohesive story with a beginning and middle and and end covering the whole 40 some pages and I can't forget how much I loved the PINUPS in the back. All this made for the annuals and the milestone issues something I looked forward to every year. That's what I would want to see in Batman 1000. Sadly, in 8 years, there probably wont be floppy comics or even a comics division of DC but for this post let's assume there will be. I think this is the if-iest part of the proposition, though I still believe (or hope) that "batman comics" are still being produced in some form and on some predictable schedule.
This will probably shake out in six years for the 90th anniversary of 'tec 27 rather than eight years for Batman 1000.
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Post by Deleted on May 8, 2023 13:53:48 GMT -5
There will be a tonne of variant covers, just like Detective 1000 and Action Comics 1000.
Good luck with that....
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Post by MDG on May 8, 2023 14:03:42 GMT -5
There will be a tonne of variant covers, just like Detective 1000 and Action Comics 1000.
Good luck with that....
Maybe they can come pre-slabbed
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Post by james on May 8, 2023 14:12:37 GMT -5
There will be a tonne of variant covers, just like Detective 1000 and Action Comics 1000. Good luck with that....
I know it will never happen but I'd love to see 1 cover and a modest print run to really make it special.
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Post by badwolf on May 8, 2023 14:18:18 GMT -5
1000 variants!
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Post by Prince Hal on May 8, 2023 14:24:51 GMT -5
Would love to see it kick off a company-wide event that winds its way through every DC title (each with a dozen alternate covers) culminating in a complete and total reset beginning in Batman 1500.
Worlds will live!
Worlds will die!
The DC Universe will never be the same.
Well, for at least a month or two afterwards.
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Post by Roquefort Raider on May 8, 2023 15:47:53 GMT -5
I expect a new version of The Case of the Chemical Syndicate, at the very least.
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Post by Duragizer on May 9, 2023 21:36:41 GMT -5
If Action Comics #1000 is anything to go by, it'll be navelgazing tripe with contributions from a few classic Batman artists which'll get the wistfulness flowing, reminding you of comics they worked on decades ago which were better than this.
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Post by chadwilliam on May 9, 2023 23:16:20 GMT -5
I expect a new version of The Case of the Chemical Syndicate, at the very least. Case of the Chemical Syndicate was published in Detective so I suspect a tribute wouldn't be in the offering here. I've noticed that as time goes on, these anniversary issues lose more and more interest in the diversity offered by a look towards the past and focus instead on presenting stories which honour only whatever interpretation of these characters fit in with the present. In other words, less and less tips of the hat to, say, Dick Sprang and more and more tributes to Frank Miller. Of course, one thing that history has going against it is the fact that time itself robs us of so many great contributors who won't be around to share their voices, but unfortunately, that leaves us with more creators whose personal interest in Batman extends only so far back. Since Batman #1 also marked the first appearance of The Joker and Catwoman, my cynical guess is that we'll get a couple of tribute stories to The Joker set during Killing Joke and Death in the Family; a Catwoman story paying tribute to Year One; a behind the scenes tale to go with the Batman #1 cover recreation ending with that famous Batman and Robin swinging pose as a concession to anything pre-Crisis; something set in the Dark Knight universe; and maybe something dark and disturbing done in a pseudo Dick Sprang art style for variety. And lots and lots of pin-ups of Batman looking constipated.
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Post by tartanphantom on May 10, 2023 0:27:16 GMT -5
I hate to be one of the "nattering nabobs of negatavism", but as james said, on a monthly basis 100 issues is roughly 7-8 years down the road, and I share his apprehension on even reaching that milestone. Given the current state of the industry, the lack of substantial new market penetration, and the financial foibles of current corporate IP holders, I'd be more concerned on whether floppies are still in print at that point.
Nevertheless, I'll throw caution to the wind and predict that at the very worst, there will be at least one edition with not only a blank cover, but also blank interiors, where the publisher actually gets fed up with trying to second-guess fickle customers, and just outright charges them for a blank book, only to have them draw their own story within, making each issue a one-of-a-kind uber-collectible.
Cover price likely have reached the $10.00 level for a normal size single issue, so this special "milestone" will sport a cover price of $30.00 for this privilege.
It's actually more likely that by that time, issue 1000 will exist only as an NFT, or possibly a manga imported from Japan.
And I'm quite glad that many of you are sharing fun, enthusiastic prognostications in lieu of my doomsday scenario.
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Post by wildfire2099 on May 10, 2023 7:55:37 GMT -5
If I was in charge... issue 1000 would be the ending of a long story line then would definitely mark the end of Bruce Wayne's career as Batman. Make it the last issue, ever. You can groom the IP with OGNs/elseworlds, etc, and have a successor and a new book. Of course that won't happen.. 1000 variants seems more likely
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Post by Deleted on May 10, 2023 8:22:03 GMT -5
If I’m editor or publisher by that time (anything can happen, right?), I will have an issue spotlighting the villains of lesser renown. About time Dr No-Face returned, right?
I mean, the likes of Joker, Riddler and Bane have been done to death. Let’s see Crazy Quilt, Doctor Phosphorus, Calendar Man, etc, etc.
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