Transmetropolitan and JMS Spiderman

[Margalis]

Best Batman movie there is, atm.  Maybe Christopher Nolan will change that.

From the previews it looks doubtful, but here's to optimism!

[HaemishM]

I think Batman Begins looks downright spiffy. I liked the Batman animated feature with Mr. Freeze (Subzero, I think) better than Mask of the Phatasm, but then I have a real soft spot for the Animated Series' depiction of Mr. Freeze. Still one of the best renditions of what is otherwise a really shitty villain. How shitty? ARNOLD SCHWARZENHAGGER.

As for Batman's biggest failings, I'd say it's not the moral failings that are his problems. He doesn't really have morality issues, per se, because he has rarely ever doubted the rightness or necessity of his mission. No, his biggest flaw is his inability to trust, his emotional distance from even the people who help and love him. Hell, his best friend (besides Dick Grayson or Alfred) is Superman, a character he vehemently disagrees with, a character he has elaborate plans to kill if necessary. He is generally not far from a Kryptonite bullet, just in case he and Clark ever disagree to the point that Clark tries to take him down.

Batman often needs help, and he doesn't trust others enough to ask most of the time. And of course, his biggest weakness is that he has no super powers whatsoever. Those are the things that make him interesting, whereas with Spider-Man, I'm really not that excited by his comics, even when JMS is writing them.

[HaemishM]

I have finished Transmetropolitan, and I am sad. I am sad because there is no more Spider Jerusalem to read.

But the ending was brilliant. It was also frighteningly scary, because of the corollary to how Hunter S. Thompson really did end his life. The only knock I have on the series is that for the last year or two, it seemed like the plotting was intentionally sparse (with lots of pages with no dialogue on it and 3 huge ass panels of not much) either to pad out the stories to graphic novel size, or pad out the whole series. Still, completely worth reading as a whole.

[Ironwood]

Hell, his best friend (besides Dick Grayson or Alfred) is Superman, a character he vehemently disagrees with, a character he has elaborate plans to kill if necessary. He is generally not far from a Kryptonite bullet, just in case he and Clark ever disagree to the point that Clark tries to take him down.

I'm not sure that's terribly fair.  As I understand it, Batman has elaborate plans for EVERYONE in the JLA and whatnot - just in case.  He's a tactical thinker and spends his time on 'what if' scenarios.

It's just that we've seen the Superman Scenario actually played out twice now - in both DKR books.

[HaemishM]

The writers have made a lot more noise about his contingencies for Superman than any other character. Understandable, given how big Supes is in the universe, but I'd be more afraid of Martian Manhunter. Manhunter's an alien, so his thought processes do not follow typical human lines, he has all of Superman's powers, plus shape-shifting, invisibility and telepathy (may not have super-speed). I guess that since MM's vulnerability is so much more common than Supes, more of his attention goes towards Supes.

[Velorath]

The writers have made a lot more noise about his contingencies for Superman than any other character. Understandable, given how big Supes is in the universe, but I'd be more afraid of Martian Manhunter. Manhunter's an alien, so his thought processes do not follow typical human lines, he has all of Superman's powers, plus shape-shifting, invisibility and telepathy (may not have super-speed). I guess that since MM's vulnerability is so much more common than Supes, more of his attention goes towards Supes.

Well apparently Zatanna is the one you should really be afraid of, and the one Batman should have had some contingencies for.  Of course Bats is currently being portrayed as world's most inept detective and all-around asshole right now in all the Infinite Crisis stuff anyway.

As far as Transmet goes, I love it but I like Preacher a little bit more.  Something to be said though for 60-70 issue comic book series that just tell a full story rather than go on until cancelation or try to squeeze the full story into a 4-12 issue mini.  Certainly not the kind of storytelling you could get away with at Marvel since most new series end up getting canceled before they even make it through the first year.

[HaemishM]

And rightfully so. My hatred for the New Avengers mantra of Marvel pub is really starting to seethe.

Actually, in JLA, Batman has said that Plastic Man is the most powerful superhero on earth. Of course, I'm partial to the Atom myself, if he ever grows back up to visible size. Superman can't do shit with a brain embolism.

[Velorath]

And rightfully so. My hatred for the New Avengers mantra of Marvel pub is really starting to seethe.

Actually, in JLA, Batman has said that Plastic Man is the most powerful superhero on earth. Of course, I'm partial to the Atom myself, if he ever grows back up to visible size. Superman can't do shit with a brain embolism.

Then he can torch Superman's body with a flamethrower that he just happened to bring along with him.

Just about any superhero can be the most powerful depending on how they're written which is why I try not get involved in conversations about who can beat whom.  If someone had the desire to flush their career down the toilet they could write a story where Daredevil beats Galactus somehow.  One of the staples of the Superhero genre is for a hopelessly outmached character to figure out some clever way to use his abilities to beat someone usually out of his league.  Spider-man vs. Juggernaut or Firelord, Batman vs. Superman, Hawkeye vs. just about anybody, and Invisible Woman (or just about anyone really) vs. the Hulk are all examples.  Hell, Batman seems to spend most of his free time coming up with ways to beat people that should be too powerful for him to fight.

[Margalis]

Just about any superhero can be the most powerful depending on how they're written which is why I try not get involved in conversations about who can beat whom.  If someone had the desire to flush their career down the toilet they could write a story where Daredevil beats Galactus somehow.  One of the staples of the Superhero genre is for a hopelessly outmached character to figure out some clever way to use his abilities to beat someone usually out of his league.  Spider-man vs. Juggernaut or Firelord, Batman vs. Superman, Hawkeye vs. just about anybody, and Invisible Woman (or just about anyone really) vs. the Hulk are all examples.  Hell, Batman seems to spend most of his free time coming up with ways to beat people that should be too powerful for him to fight.

Nod. It's interesting when it works and is plausible, but that is rare. DKR is all right because there was a somewhat plausible explanation for Superman being weakened, and he wasn't really trying to win. But most of the time it's the guy whose name appears on the cover wins in the end, regardless of all logic.

[Johny Cee]

Just about any superhero can be the most powerful depending on how they're written which is why I try not get involved in conversations about who can beat whom.  If someone had the desire to flush their career down the toilet they could write a story where Daredevil beats Galactus somehow.  One of the staples of the Superhero genre is for a hopelessly outmached character to figure out some clever way to use his abilities to beat someone usually out of his league.  Spider-man vs. Juggernaut or Firelord, Batman vs. Superman, Hawkeye vs. just about anybody, and Invisible Woman (or just about anyone really) vs. the Hulk are all examples.  Hell, Batman seems to spend most of his free time coming up with ways to beat people that should be too powerful for him to fight.

Nod. It's interesting when it works and is plausible, but that is rare. DKR is all right because there was a somewhat plausible explanation for Superman being weakened, and he wasn't really trying to win. But most of the time it's the guy whose name appears on the cover wins in the end, regardless of all logic.

Heh, Ennis did a run like this with the Punisher.  He was confounding or incapacitating Wolverine, Spider-man, and Daredevil;  sometimes all three at the same time.  As much as I enjoy Wolverine getting shit on,  this does serious short-term damage to these characters and their perceived level of competence which can't be a good thing.  (Punisher is my go to for a quick read while killing 20 minutes during lunch hour)  Ennis' Punisher run is about the only thing I can stomach by him.

Just read Transmetropolitan 1.  I ran through most of the local fantasy section at Borders, and haven't motivated yet to get into the non-fiction I have piling up.  My usual case of buyers remorse whenever I shell out money for a graphic novel....  Also checked out Hellboy Wierd Tales 2.  That was a purchase if for no other reason then how much Magnolia talked up Lovecraft, Howard, and the rest of the Wierd Tales pulp writers.

[Llava]

Hell, his best friend (besides Dick Grayson or Alfred) is Superman, a character he vehemently disagrees with, a character he has elaborate plans to kill if necessary. He is generally not far from a Kryptonite bullet, just in case he and Clark ever disagree to the point that Clark tries to take him down.

I'm not sure that's terribly fair.  As I understand it, Batman has elaborate plans for EVERYONE in the JLA and whatnot - just in case.  He's a tactical thinker and spends his time on 'what if' scenarios.

It's just that we've seen the Superman Scenario actually played out twice now - in both DKR books.

It happened in Hush too, didn't it?

If I recall, Poison Ivy actually managed to get control of Superman for a bit.  Batman had to take him down, and did so until the Boy Scout came to his senses.

[Samwise]

I just picked up Transmet 1 as well and have read through it a few times.  If my local comic store is open I'll probably go clean them out today so I can finish the series in a single sitting.