Knightfall

[Damaramu 0]

Alright I made a thread about the Death of Superman but now I'm going to make a seperate one for another storyline that has me thinking.

 

The Batman Knightfall storyline.....what exactly happened?

Did Bane just come out of nowhere like Doomsday did?

 

Why was this storyline decision made? And it seemed to be rectified pretty quickly? Were fans apathetic to the change of Batmen?

[Youth N Asia 0]

I never got to read it, but I'm pretty sure Bane came from a one shot called Vengeance of Bane (although they made a 2nd one later).

 

I love the idea, he's decided he's going to break the Batman, so he sets up Arkam so that there's a mass break out. So Batman's on overtime to try and round up all the escaped criminals. And they toss the B level baddies at first, Zas, the firehappy guy, and whatnot. Anyway, Batman finally just gets worn out and beaten down, then Bane just shows up, snaps him in two, and tosses him off the side of a building a believe.

 

I think batman is waiting for Bane, and knows he's coming, but can't ignore all the chaos going on and it just exausts him. And he's easily beaten in Knightfall 11.

[Steviekick 0]

Alright I made a thread about the Death of Superman but now I'm going to make a seperate one for another storyline that has me thinking.

 

The Batman Knightfall storyline.....what exactly happened?

Did Bane just come out of nowhere like Doomsday did?

 

Why was this storyline decision made? And it seemed to be rectified pretty quickly? Were fans apathetic to the change of Batmen?

A lot of people were pissed with them switching to Azbats, but it wasn't like anyone DID NOT believe Brucebats would be back.

[Nighthawk 0]

Wasn't it explicitly stated all along that he would come back?

[TheBigSwigg 0]

I never got to read it, but I'm pretty sure Bane came from a one shot called Vengeance of Bane (although they made a 2nd one later).

 

I love the idea, he's decided he's going to break the Batman, so he sets up Arkam so that there's a mass break out. So Batman's on overtime to try and round up all the escaped criminals. And they toss the B level baddies at first, Zas, the firehappy guy, and whatnot. Anyway, Batman finally just gets worn out and beaten down, then Bane just shows up, snaps him in two, and tosses him off the side of a building a believe.

 

I think batman is waiting for Bane, and knows he's coming, but can't ignore all the chaos going on and it just exausts him. And he's easily beaten in Knightfall 11.

If I remember correctly, Batman didn't know who Bane was until Bane attacked him. Bane had a dream about about a bat in a South American prison, where he was imprisoned for his fathers crime, and someone from Gotham ended up there and told him about Batman.

The story was good, near great IMO. Bane deduces Batman's identity, weakens him by emptying Arkham, and breaks him. One of Batman's worst fears, that Batman would sink to the level of the criminals he puts away, comes to fruition. Bruce Wayne has to work to become Batman again. I think it's great, but I also have the memories of reading it as a kid to hold on to.

[Guest JMA]

I thought Knightfall was vastly superior to The Death of Superman. Bane wasn't just a typical muscle-bound thug--he was very cerebral. Instead of confronting Bruce directly, he has his various enemies wear him down. Then, when Bruce is both physically and mentally exhausted, he strikes. He easily defeats Bruce and rather than end his life, he cripples him and allows him to reflect on his defeat.

 

Azrael becoming Batman and slowly going even crazier, and Bruce's journey back were very well done.

[Guest PlatinumBoy]

I liked the story too, as Batman put up ZERO fight aganist Bane. Like the punches he threw at the end probably wouldn't have taken down you or I. In a related note I loved it when in the animated series, when Bane went for the backbreaker I was thinking "No way they'll let this happen...." which of course they didn't--Batman cut the tubes, but it still rocked as an episode--it even had Bane beat up the Croc.

[Guest Joe_G]

Hey, how did Batman's back heal up? I remember Bruce being confined to a wheelchair and going off to find Robin's dad. Then a few months later he's back and ready to be Bats again. Wha' happened?

[TheBigSwigg 0]

Hey, how did Batman's back heal up? I remember Bruce being confined to a wheelchair and going off to find Robin's dad. Then a few months later he's back and ready to be Bats again. Wha' happened?

There was a woman who was taking care of Robin's dad, Jack Drake. After her and Jack Drake were kidnapped, Bruce followed them across the Atlantic and saved them, even though he had a broken back. She had "healing powers" and fixed his back. The only semi-lame thing in the story.

[JasonX 0]

Alright I made a thread about the Death of Superman but now I'm going to make a seperate one for another storyline that has me thinking.

 

The Batman Knightfall storyline.....what exactly happened?

Did Bane just come out of nowhere like Doomsday did?

 

Why was this storyline decision made? And it seemed to be rectified pretty quickly? Were fans apathetic to the change of Batmen?

Bane debuted in the "Vengence of Bane" one-shot, which came out around the time of Batman #484-487. He hung around Batman for a couple of issues stirring shit up (most notably hooking Riddler up with the Venom steroid and saving Azreal from being beaten to death by Killer Croc) before Knightfall happened.

[JasonX 0]

Hey, how did Batman's back heal up? I remember Bruce being confined to a wheelchair and going off to find Robin's dad. Then a few months later he's back and ready to be Bats again. Wha' happened?

Contrived plot device in the form of Batman's then doctor/girlfriend being a mutant with healing powers.

[JasonX 0]

Wasn't it explicitly stated all along that he would come back?

It wasn't explicitly stated, since at the time DC was doing gangbusters with Death/Reign of Superman so they decided to ape the situation by way of playing it up that Az-Bats was here to stay.

[starvenger 0]

I thought that Knightfall was well thought out, although like the Clone Saga, it really dragged out. Similar to the Superman storyline, it set out to show that there can only be one true Batman (although Dick didn't look too bad in the suit), and succeeds in that respect.

 

Other things:

- Wasn't a big fan of Quesada's costume, although it got better as the regular artists started streamlining it.

- Best cover: the one where Kelley Jones gives us a gratuitous BUTT shot of Poison Ivy. No idea what happened to him, but he could definitely draw a nice ass.

- The novelization of the story (by Denny O'Neill) is actually pretty good. I think you can find a SC for cheap at Borders or Barnes and Noble.

- After reading this, it makes you very sad thinking about Batman and Robin and wondering what could have been.

[Renegade 0]

Nothing about Knightfall really grabbed me. Bane's motives seemed a little thin and the Azbats stories bored me. Also the art in the shadow of the bat issues was horrible.

 

Although I do love the issue where Azreal loses it on Robin, probably one of my favorite parts of knightfall.

[Steviekick 0]

I reccommend the O'Neil adaptation. It's really good in capturing the story without dragging. Rucka's adaptation of No Man's Land was really good, too.

[Lil' Bitch 0]

I forgot which issue it was, but Azrael finally tracks down Bane and kicks the ever loving shit out of him and

rather than end his life, he allows him to reflect on his defeat.

[Steviekick 0]

I forgot which issue it was, but Azrael finally tracks down Bane and kicks the ever loving shit out of him and

rather than end his life, he allows him to reflect on his defeat.

Azrael was very cool with stuff like that, where he would just fuck with people's heads.