The WORST Bat-Comics of All Time

[wrly_bird]

I thought I already did. I'm Alec Worley, the guy who does the film reviews for the Meg. Um... hello.

[Rio De Fideldo]

There's one out at the minute called Batman Secrets. Its by Sam Keith and its truly awful.

[LARF]

Hmm surprised no one has mentioned Knight Fall when Azrael takes over the costume, bad move imo...

[Bongo Jack]

"You use yore tongue priddier'n a twenny dollar whore."

It's hard to pick books that stand in isolation as bad, rather than just a bit dull and ponderous for a standalone (graphic) novel.  In retrospect, City of Crime is probably more the latter than the former - not good in isolation, but probably taking on a new dimension of awful if you're following the books on a regular basis and can actually remember where Jim Gordon and Tim Drake are supposed to be at in their lives (retired and high school senior respectively).  I mean, the reader knows that much, so the writer should arguably be aware of it as well.
Meh - it's all pre-Infinite Crisis anyway, so it's been retconned to buggery by now.
 
Even if you didn't buy into my personal distaste for the book, that's a fair and balanced review, Alec.
I did also forget that some of the clean linework on the Gotham vistas were actually quite a break from the over-shadowed rendering of the city prevalent in the books even now, so I suppose that's one thing undeniably in its favour.

[Dandontdare]

Ooh, what a lovely vat of bile you've tapped! I actually liked Dark Knight 2, but hated the whole cataclysm/no mans land stuff.
you inspired me to start my own post - "what's the most disappointing comic purchase you've made?"
Which book has given you you the least bangs for your buck?

[Goosegash]

War Games contains some head-slappingly absurd moments, such as Barbara Gordon's amazingly well thought out plan in the final episode: "Oh no! Batman and The Black Mask are fighting! Someone might get hurt! I know...I'll set the whole building on fire, forcing Batman to rescue me!"

And yes, War Crimes was shocking for all the wrong reasons. A total betrayal of Leslie Thompkins' character.

[Jared Katooie]

There was a Batman/Lobo comic recently that was DIRE.

The Superman/Batman story that I forget the name of was terrible as well, but I forget the name. I'm sure Jeph Loeb wrote it or something.

[Radbacker]

well I've never read Dark Night but saw first two of DK2 in the second hand book shop last week so I picked em up (only $4A each)and I dont really see much of a problem with it, Arts a bit rough (i guess its meant to be like that) but I dont think the story's too bad as long as its meant to be an Elseworlds tale because none of the characters in it are recognizably from the DC universe I know.
To put in perspective I haven't ever read D.K., Year One etc

The new Grant Morrison run sure does suck though, every time it seems to get interesting some stupid cross over or something happens and we have 3 or 4 issues of crap before we get back to this whole black book thing he's blathering about.

CU Radbacker

[wrly_bird]

Thanks for all the suggestions. Far more than I could ever come up with myself. It was really just to get me going on a small sidebar for the main feature.
Thanks again
Cheers
A.

[WoD]

Long time back (late 80's early 90's) they tried to re-invent the Riddler to give him a hard egde like most of the other characters (and somehow involved magic in it as well IIRC)...and the result; Character betrayel...and a stupid 3 parter.

[Bongo Jack]

Was that Peter Milligan's 'Dark Knight, Dark City' arc?  The Riddler wasn't reinvented as a gritty psycho in that story, he was in thrall to Gotham City/the demon who was narrating the story, and being manipulated into freeing it.
Milligan's Batman run has been derided by many, but I liked that he actually tried to do something with the character beyond the Batman vs Mobsters stuff that cluttered the books post-Burton movies.

[WoD]

Good memory Bongo-Boy, now to the Bongo-Boat we go...

[Bongo Jack]

Bongo-Shark-Repellant at the ready!

My memory isn't that good - I've just read loads of Bat-books from around that period.  They put the repetitive angst of the current books to shame.

I also remember when all this were fields.

[satchmo]

I've got a lot of time for those Pete Milligan Bat-books. The Riddler used to be my favourite Batman villain until a certain Jeph Loeb came along.

You pillock, Jeph.