InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "Stop poking me!"

claudie (flirting with modernism) (lipsofpoison) wrote in scans_daily,
@ 2009-04-26 18:08:00

Entry tags:

char: alfred pennyworth, char: batman/bruce wayne, title: batman

Why so Disturbing, Baby Bruce?
This is from Batman Black & White, The Lesson, in which Dick Grayson is trying to prove he's ready to be Robin. This prompts Bruce to have a memory about his childhood, which is depicted below.

Dial Up:
Page 1
Page 2
Page 3

(Post a new comment)

	sailorlibra 2009-04-26 12:17 pm UTC (link)
	I'm thinking I may have to get around to buying the Batman: B&W TPBs. Are they all as good as the ones that have been posted recently? (Reply to this) (Thread)

	lipsofpoison 2009-04-26 12:20 pm UTC (link)
	For me, they're very hit and miss. Some of them I love and find them done spectacularly, some of them I find a bit ridiculous (Batman taking his son - looking like Terry in Batman & Sons skiing for instance) but I've been collecting Gotham Knights and they come with them. This came with Gotham knights #20. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	scottyquick 2009-04-26 05:36 pm UTC (link)
	??? (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	lipsofpoison 2009-04-26 06:09 pm UTC (link)
	Which part is confusing? (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	scottyquick 2009-04-26 06:22 pm UTC (link)
	What was so awful about GK #20? (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	lipsofpoison 2009-04-26 06:24 pm UTC (link)
	Nothing, I loved GK#20. I don't think any of the GK's are awful. I find the skiiing thing to be a little ridiculous but I can't remember the issue that's in. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	scottyquick 2009-04-26 06:36 pm UTC (link)
	Oh, whoops! Major misread there. I thought you said "Then came GK #20". (Reply to this) (Parent)

	runespoor7 2009-04-26 12:31 pm UTC (link)
	A lot of them are very good. This one's the best as far as I'm concerned. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	lipsofpoison 2009-04-26 12:34 pm UTC (link)
	Delusions of Alfred Pennyworth remains my favourite but this is a close second. (Reply to this) (Parent)

	runespoor7 2009-04-26 12:29 pm UTC (link)
	Best. Black & White. Ever. The only reason I hadn't posted anything from it yet was because I just couldn't decide on which part to post. (Also, misleading summary is misleading? :D) WHAT MAKES YOU THINK I WAS ALONE shrieks flails creepytiny bruce eeeeeeeee. (Reply to this) (Thread)

	lipsofpoison 2009-04-26 12:33 pm UTC (link)
	You know, I was having the same problem. I love the earlier bit with Dick but this is just so integral for Bruce that I thought it would be the best one. (clarified, I was trying to give background and it came out wrong) Man, I love this one. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	runespoor7 2009-04-26 12:39 pm UTC (link)
	(I mean, my interpretation of the earlier part was that the kid was Bruce. Which makes it even creepier, yes.) Scary-Bat-God ruling over the psyche of its champions = always of the good. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	lipsofpoison 2009-04-26 12:40 pm UTC (link)
	(When I checked the sypnosis, it said Dick. So I put Dick. I thought it was Bruce too but apparently not.) Batgod rules all! (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	sistermagpie 2009-04-26 01:07 pm UTC (link)
	Wait, what happens in the beginning of this? I'm wondering if it's the one I'm thinking of where I thought it was Bruce too? (Reply to this) (Parent)

starwolf_oakley
2009-04-26 01:15 pm UTC (link)

I've read that story on the old board. Logically, we're supposed to think it's Dick talking to Bruce. Then Alfred shows up and we realize Young Bruce is talking to the Scary Bat-God That Lives In Bruce Wayne's Head.

Another unsettling part of the story:
Young Bruce: It wasn't my fault!
Scary Bat-God: Yes it was.

Adding things like "It was Bruce's idea they go to the movies" or "It was Bruce's idea Martha that wear her pearls" etc. etc. to the origin gives a sense of penance or atonement to why Bruce became Batman. It's Bruce Wayne's fault his parents were murdered, so he has to spend the rest of his life fighting criminals as punishment. Deleted scenes from BATMAN FOREVER covered this, explaining the ending line "I'm Bruce Wayne and Batman. Not because I *have* to be, but because I *choose* to be."

(Reply to this) (Parent)

	lookingforsigns 2009-04-26 12:32 pm UTC (link)
	Damn, little Bruce is creepy. (Reply to this)

	ar_feiniel_ 2009-04-26 04:56 pm UTC (link)
	Poor Bruce :( (Reply to this)

	retro_nouveau 2009-04-26 08:50 pm UTC (link)
	Oooo, I love noir. (Reply to this)

	dustbunny105 2009-04-27 01:57 am UTC (link)
	Creepy kid!Bruce is a creepy kid! This looks really cool, though. (Reply to this)

ladymirth
2009-04-27 04:59 am UTC (link)

Oh, yeah, this one was creeptastically great! I thought it was wee!Dick training to become Robin with Bruce all throughout, and then couldn't <>believe</i> it when Bruce seemed to be blaming him for being too weak and slow to save his parents. It was only at the very end that I realized this was wee!Bruce conversing with his inner Bat God. Further reinforcing the idea of Batman as a Dark Protector God that uses Bruce as a human host but is actually a separate all-powerful entity. Kinda like the Sceptre.

Creeeeepy!

(Reply to this)

	killermoth1 2009-04-27 05:57 pm UTC (link)
	Thanks for posting. I love this little story, as do I love most Black and White stories. This one especially pulled a nice mid-twist which was great, considering the problem with a lot of them was the compulsive need to pull a twist at the end, mostly with Batman having been a person in disguise that even an idiot saw coming. (Reply to this)

	time_two 2009-07-24 04:38 pm UTC (link)
	I keep hearing about this comic and I've been looking around all over for "The Lesson", so I'm really excited you posted this! The only problem is the images and the links both don't seem to be working. Would you mind terribly reposting them? (Reply to this) (Thread)

	lipsofpoison 2009-07-24 04:43 pm UTC (link)
	Ah, I moved image host survers. Give me 10 minutes and it should be up. (Reply to this) (Parent)

	lipsofpoison 2009-07-24 04:48 pm UTC (link)
	Up! (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	time_two 2009-07-24 07:30 pm UTC (link)
	Wow, that was fast. Thank you so much! (Reply to this) (Parent)