Follow TV Tropes

Following

Context ComicBook / AllStarBatmanAndRobinTheBoyWonder

Go To

1%
2%
3%% Please do not replace the character names with Linkara's Fan Nicknames. This page is about the work, not his review. Also avoid liberal sprinklings of "goddamn" or "age 12."
4%
5%
6[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/all-star_batman_and_robin_the_boy_wonder_1728.jpg]]
7%%[[caption-width-right:350:]]
8
9->''"What, are you '''dense'''? Are you '''retarded''' or something? Who the hell do you '''think''' I am? I'm the Goddamn '''Batman'''."''
10--> -- '''Batman'''
11
12The original ''ComicBook/AllStarDCComics'' title. Ran from 2005 until 2008. When DC announced the book it was widely anticipated as Creator/FrankMiller's return to the site of two of his greatest books -- ''ComicBook/BatmanTheDarkKnightReturns'' and ''ComicBook/BatmanYearOne'' -- with a story illustrated by Creator/JimLee. The story that came out certainly became popular, but not for any of the reasons that the publisher could have anticipated.
13
14Frank Miller has described the story as a distant prequel to ''The Dark Knight Returns'', showcasing how Batman met and recruited Robin in his war against crime. Along the way, Batman meets a number of the other heroes of the DC Universe, who are left at a loss for words at his radical approach to stopping crime.
15
16The series was infamous for, among other things, [[ScheduleSlip having an erratic release schedule]]. After the run came to an end[[note]]As in no new issues were published, not that [[CutShort the story itself had been completed]][[/note]], it was announced in 2010 that Frank Miller would write a ContinuityReboot called ''Dark Knight: Boy Wonder'' that would go on for 6 issues and [[AuthorsSavingThrow compile the story that he wanted to tell originally]]. More than a decade later, there's still no word on [[DevelopmentHell when exactly this series will arrive]].
17
18Not to be confused with Creator/ScottSnyder's 2016 series ''[[http://www.newsarama.com/28600-rebirth-q-a-scott-snyder-on-all-star-batman.html All-Star Batman]]'', which Snyder heavily emphasizes has nothing to do with this.
19----
20!!This comic provides examples of:
21* AdaptationalEarlyAppearance: Much like ''WesternAnimation/TheBatman'', this series sees Barbara Gordon become Batgirl before Dick Grayson becomes Robin.
22* AdaptationalJerkass:
23** In this series, Batman is depicted as enjoying violence and inflicting pain, in contrast to his usual depiction. Then there's his treatment of Dick Grayson.
24** Superman is much more quick to anger than the usual calm mild-mannered depiction. There's also his reaction to hearing that Batman has kidnapped Dick being more concerned about the authorities taking action against the Justice League rather than the boy's safety. He also threatens to kill Wonder Woman if she attempts to kill Batman.
25** Wonder Woman is also depicted with an ''overt'' hatred of men in this setting. Her first scene has her angrily pushing her way past a civilian man on the street whilst calling him a "sperm bank". The rest of her dialogue and inner thoughts shows that she seems to view men in general as worthless. The one exception is [[AllAmazonsWantHercules Superman]]. Her reaction to Batman's actions is to suggest ''killing him and handing his head over to the authorities''. And no, she wasn't kidding about that.
26* AdaptationalNationality: Black Canary becomes Irish.
27* AllAmazonsWantHercules:
28** Franchise/WonderWoman ''really'' hates men. That is, all men except {{Franchise/Superman}}. After the two get into an argument, Supes stomps on the ground hard enough that it knocks her over. This ''[[SlapSlapKiss turns her on]]'' and leads to the two making out.
29** The same goes for Black Canary and her feelings for Batman himself.
30* AllThereInTheManual:
31** The story makes more sense as a sequel to ''ComicBook/BatmanYearOne'' when you read issue #10 and some plot points, such as Batman's relationship with Green Lantern, become very interesting when compared to ''ComicBook/TheDarkKnightStrikesAgain''. Also confirmed by WordOfGod is that the series is in the same universe as ''The Dark Knight Returns''.
32** Interestingly enough, Miller has also noted that he never ''intended'' for Batman to be seen as truly "heroic" in this arc (quite the opposite), until near the end, where Batman tones down (with Robin's help) to become the "moral" Batman we all know.
33* AntiHero: Batman and ComicBook/BlackCanary. Black Canary savagely beats up a bar full of men for rude behavior and steals their wallets, and Batman is a psychotic lunatic who brutalizes anyone in his way, even if they didn't do anything. They are the good guys of the story.
34* AscendedMeme: Starting with Issue 6, Frank started slipping in references to "the Goddamn Batman".
35* AuthorAppeal: Some of the more hostile criticisms regarding ''All Star Batman and Robin'' claim that the whole thing was used by Miller to vicariously live out his personal Batman [[WishFulfillment fantasy]]; citing the disregard for Batman's moral code [[spoiler:(especially during the scene where he rescues Robin from corrupt cops; never mind that he takes pleasure in harming them; but also nearly kills both Alfred and Vicki Vale in the process)]], the over-the top fan service, as well as his less than flattering portrayals of most of the other Justice League (particularly Superman and Green Lantern).
36* AuthorAvatar: It's pretty clear that this version of Batman is how Miller sees himself if he were Batman.
37* BigBad: ComicBook/TheJoker is ultimately responsible for the murder of Robin's parents.
38* BloodKnight: Miller takes this side of Batman to an outrageous character breaking degree as Batman is literally burning criminals alive and then having sex with Black Canary because he feels ''so alive''.
39* ButtMonkey: Franchise/GreenLantern exists pretty much to be humiliated and insulted by Batman, then gets his neck injured by Robin so Batman gets to save his life.
40* CharacterDevelopment: Batman starts out completely insane and isolated but is ''slowly'' becoming more human thanks to the influence of Dick. Miller himself has stated that this was the entire point: to explain why Batman needed a kid sidekick, anyway--to bring him back down to earth after a period of having too much fun with his crime-fighting. However, it rings pretty hollow when it's in issue seven (''years'' into the series thanks to ScheduleSlip) of a twelve-issue miniseries that that infamous bleach incident takes place. Far from ascending to herodom and influencing Batman to regain his humanity, Dick Grayson has yet to take up the Robin mantle and was last seen being very impressed by all the deadly weaponry he was surrounded by. Meanwhile, Batman is deliberately burning crooks to death and enjoying it, while the equally derailed Black Canary swoons over him because apparently that's sexy. And whenever Dick comes up in his narration, it's pretty much always with a "stuck with an annoying kid" comment as if he wasn't the one who ''kidnapped him''.
41* ChuckCunninghamSyndrome: An odd example occurs with Green Arrow, since although the story takes place ''before'' ''The Dark Knight Returns'', it features several notable characters from said story (Superman, Catwoman, the Joker, Bruno), yet Oliver Queen himself is nowhere to be seen[[note]]unless the random patron from Black Canary's bar that resembles him is supposed to be him...although that's unlikely, considering it's never established if she can use her [[MakeMeWannaShout Canary Cry]], and Oliver is a relatively good unarmed fighter, yet she lays the patron out like it's nothing[[/note]]. This is strange, especially when one considers that characters who didn't appear until ''The Dark Knight Strikes Again'' (Wonder Woman, Plastic Man) get rather prominent roles in this story.
42* ClusterFBomb: Almost every character talks like this, even the 15-year-old Batgirl. ''Especially'' the 15-year-old fucking Batgirl.
43* ContinuityNod: There are several to other Dark Knight Universe stories.
44** DKR's Battank being built in the Batcave.
45** The Batcave is full of these. Besides the aforementioned Bat-Tank, there are:
46*** The Bat-Glider from ''ComicBook/BatmanYearOne'',
47*** The Bat-Copter from ''The Dark Knight Returns'',
48*** The Bat-Shield Batmobile,
49*** The 60s Show Batmobile,
50*** And the Batwing from the 'Hush' storyline, also pencilled by Jim Lee.
51** Joker's henchgirl Bruno and Batman saying the ''We have to be Criminals'' line.
52** Also, Batman's character is identical to Frank Miller's in ''ComicBook/BatmanTheDarkKnightReturns'', save for him being 20-30 years younger. When TDKR came out, the story seemed to imply it was the decades of superheroing that turned Batman into this sour, cynical person. This story retcons that into Batman having started out as ''more'' of a jerkass than in TDKR and growing more noble, responsible and humane as he grew old, probably thanks to Dick Grayson's influence. This is a bit ironic if you consider that Grayson [[spoiler:is revealed to be a complete psychopath in TDKSA. During their climatic battle, he implies that Bruce's negligence and lack of affection drove him insane. Miller's Batman predictably scoffs and pushes him into hot lava.]]
53** A subtle one is on the cover of the first issue, with Batman swinging over Gotham. His face is blacked out with only his eyes visible, similar to the covers for ''The Dark Knight Returns'' collected editions.
54** Gordon's story about taking a baseball bat to Flass occurs in ''ComicBook/BatmanYearOne'', though [[BadassNormal not the way he makes it sound]].
55* ContinuitySnarl:
56** Even at his most pumped up, no holds barred, extreme moment in ''The Dark Knight Returns'', Batman couldn't bring himself to kill the Joker. In ''ASBAR'', he killed crooked cops without hesitation (sometimes plowing through and utterly destroying police cars with ''no way to know'' they were all crooked. He's also quite pleased with crooks killing each other in crossfires, and finishes off the rest by setting them ON FIRE.) This is a guy who places ZERO value on human life.
57** Batman rants to Robin about how he can call his "Batmobile" whatever he wants. In ''ComicBook/BatmanTheDarkKnightReturns'', Batman muses that it was Robin who came up with the term.
58** Barbara Gordon's existence. The story explicitly takes place a few years after the Joker's first appearance, which happened right at the end of ''ComicBook/BatmanYearOne''. In that story, the Gordons don't have any kids, with Jim even lamenting that it'd be wrong to bring a child into Gotham. Given Barbara's age, it's impossible that she was born after James. It's possible that she's Jim's niece in this version, but given that the series plays on the Silver Age quite a bit, it's more than likely she's his biological daughter and there's some snarl in effect.
59* CoversAlwaysLie: Issue 8 shows the Joker holding Batman's cowl. In the issue itself, Batman never even meets the Joker, much less fight him, nor does Batman take off his cowl, and if said cover was supposed to be {{Foreshadowing}}, it went nowhere for reasons mentioned below.
60* CrapsackWorld: Usually true in a Batman story, but much ''much'' more so here.
61* CutShort: The entire series. Issues #11 and #12 are likely never going to come out, and DC has been saying for years they'll reboot and finish the series with nothing concrete to back up the claims.
62* DarkerAndEdgier: Attempted (maybe parodied?) throughout the series, though the worst has to be the scowling, humorless hitman now claiming his people have sarcastically nicknamed him the Joker.
63-->'''Joker:''' They call me the Joker. But I'm not very funny.
64* ADayInTheLimelight: Issue 10 is mostly done from Lt. Jim Gordon's point of view.
65* DepartmentOfRedundancyDepartment: Very often throughout the text.
66-->'''Vicki Vale:''' [[HarmfulToMinors Someone murdered his parents. Right before his eyes.]] [[RealisticDictionIsUnrealistic Brutally. Brutally. It was brutal.]]
67* EmbarrassingHospitalGown: In issue #6, Jimmy Olsen visits Vicky Vale in the hospital as she's about to check out, and she asks him to bring her clothes so she can change out of the skimpy hospital gown she has. As if to emphasize this, there is a MaleGaze shot of [[LegFocus her bare legs]] as she slides out of bed, and the HormoneAddledTeenager Jimmy [[EatingTheEyeCandy can't help but stare]]. To make things more embarrassing for him she also starts [[ShamelessFanserviceGirl stripping out of the gown on the spot, not caring he's standing right there]].
68* EvilHasABadSenseOfHumor: The Joker as is usual of him, but in a very marked difference it's the "''no'' sense of humor" variation.
69* ForgotAboutHisPowers:
70** Frank Miller probably hasn't seen that the modern Green Lantern is perfectly capable of dealing with a yellow room.
71** Batman speculating that he could make people think his way with Green Lantern's ring... that's not how it works.
72* FreudianExcuse: [[spoiler:12-year old Dick Grayson]]'s turn to evil in ''The Dark Knight Strikes Again'' is so understandable now.
73* GoshDangitToHeck: Since Superman and the Green Lantern are boy scouts compared to everyone else, their dialogue comes off as even sillier than the {{Cluster F Bomb}}s. Although Superman's only line in his first few appearances is "DAMN!"
74* HairTriggerTemper: Batman tends to overreact to nearly everything with extreme violence, even the smallest sign of provocation.
75* HeelRealization: Batman actually seems to be on the way to one of these for a moment, but dismisses it and we're right back to crazy town for the rest of the series.
76--->'''Batman:''' What am I doing to this kid? [[IronicEcho Who the hell do I think I am]]?"
77* HeroicComedicSociopath: Batman and Black Canary. Batgirl and Robin are Heroic Comedic Sociopaths-in-training.
78* HotterAndSexier: Much more blatant {{Fanservice}} than is usual in comic books, including a beautifully drawn make-out session in the rain between costumed Black Canary and Batman ("The costumes make it better" line might be a reference to ''{{ComicBook/Watchmen}}'': we refer the reader to that book's page for the explanation of why this is so: suffice to say, it's not simply a fetish).
79* {{Hypocrite}}: Batman challenges Dick Grayson to prove he's either "an avenger or a detective" by killing Jocko Boy, the man who murdered his parents. While Bruce is pleased when Dick spares him and ostensibly chooses "detective", Batmans' crime-fighting methods include setting criminals on fire with thermite and bleach, poisoning criminals, and smashing through police barricades. Not only does he strain the plausibility that he actually sticks to [[ThouShaltNotKill Batman's typical one rule]], but it's highly unlikely that if he ever got his hands on him, that he would show his parents' murderer the same mercy that Dick shows his.
80* IdiotBall: Green Lantern accepts Batman's offer to meet at a time and place of Bats' choosing, instead of just picking him up with his ring and keeping him manacled with it til he spills the beans.
81* ImmediateSelfContradiction: Not exactly immediate, but in one issue, Batman calls Green Lantern a moron, then soon after says Green Lantern is a great man. He also laments revealing one of his safehouses to GL and dismisses it as no loss because he has so many, all in one thought balloon.
82* INeverToldYouMyName: Green Lantern gets shocked when Batman causally calls him Jordan.
83* InherentlyFunnyWords: Black Canary is called ''lovechunks'' a lot. [[BerserkButton She does not like this at all.]]
84* InNameOnly: Black Canary is given an entirely new backstory and motivation, turning from a LegacyCharacter of her mother into an Irish immigrant from a [[MassiveNumberedSiblings large family]] working at a sleazy bar, who was inspired into crime-fighting by Batman.
85* InsistentTerminology: The series makes ''sure'' you know Dick Grayson is age twelve.
86* InTheHood: Dick's first costume has one, and he wants to be called "Hood" (after Robin Hood, since he also has a bow and arrows). But Batman just pulls the hood down over his face to show how impractical it is, and declares he is "Robin".
87* InTheStyleOf: A rather easy-to-miss aspect of the artwork is Jim Lee's attempts to emulate Frank Miller's art style. He utilizes poses similar to those found back in ''The Dark Knight Returns'', most notably the signature gritted-teeth Batman scowl from that same story.
88* {{Jerkass}}: Everybody but Superman, Alfred, and Robin is some kind of a jerkass.
89* KudzuPlot: The DrivingQuestion of the series is who had Dick's parents murdered, and when it's revealed to be the Joker, the question becomes why, and along the way Dick becomes Batman's sidekick as Robin. Not only do we never learn why his parents were murdered, there are no hints as to why either. Along the way we get Black Canary and Batgirl being inspired to take up vigilantism by Batman, the Justice League contacting him and Batman stealing Green Lantern's Power Ring, the Joker hatching some unknown scheme with Catwoman that apparently involves her being brutalized and left for the police to find and direct Batman to, and some subplot involving the police of Gotham being corrupt and wanting to silence Dick from speaking out about the murders. Even with the series being CutShort, it's questionable how all of these plotlines could have been wrapped up in a satisfactory manner in just two more issues.
90* LargeHam: This Batman is a far cry from [[TheStoic the Batman we usually know]]. This Batman's dialogue is incredibly bombastic (case in point: "I'm the Goddamn Batman!"), frequently shown [[SlasherSmile grinning in maniacal glee]], throws one-liners like there's no tomorrow whenever he's in a fight and even [[CallingYourAttacks announces himself]] by [[EvilLaugh cackling like a lunatic]].
91* LikesClarkKentHatesSuperman: In her very first appearance, Vicki Vale complains about Batman, saying that Gotham deserves a better resident superhero... then talks about how at least Gotham has Bruce Wayne, whom she describes as "rich as Howard Hughes" and "hot as the Sun".
92* LingerieScene: Vicki Vale's first appearance is three pages of her parading around her apartment in pink lingerie and high heels. Doubles as SexSells. Some editions feature Miller's script for this scene, which gets pretty disturbing as he goes on and on about how detailed her underwear should be, and even calls himself shameless when he asks for a closeup of her ass.
93* TheLopsidedArmOfTheLaw: Used to demonstrate how absurdly crooked the GCPD is -- they deploy death squads and have a standing KillOnSight order on Batman (they even outfit their ''[[CrooksAreBetterArmed highway patrolmen with Uzis]]'') and have no problem trying to beat to death [[WouldHurtAChild a little kid (Dick)]] for insisting that he got a good look at the man who ''shot Dick's parents right in front of him''.
94* MaleGaze:
95** Frank Miller specifically made a point of having artist Jim Lee draw a detailed shot of Vicki Vale's ass. As rendered in the script: "[[PerverseSexualLust Okay, Jim, I'm shameless, let's go for the ASS SHOT]]" (caps in original).
96** Then there's Franchise/WonderWoman's ass on the alt cover of #5.
97* MoodWhiplash:
98** Issue 9 was when Batman meets Green Lantern in a yellow room, at first is incredibly funny (DAMN YOU AND YOUR LEMONADE!!) and when Robin starts fighting Green Lantern it's still hilarious and Batman is in on the joke but the fun stops abruptly with a splash page of Robin [[spoiler:punching Green Lantern in the throat, almost killing him if it weren't for Batman]]. Then it's followed by a crowning moment of Heartwarming.
99** In universe and out, Batman and Canary have been making out under the rain and "[[Comicbook/{{Watchmen}} under the hood]]", when Batman mentions he can drive her home... in his Batmobile. Canary shows disappointment with her idol's naming choice. Which instantly kills the mood for everyone involved, including the readership, because this Batman is ''really touchy'' about his stuff and his person not being as awesome as he thinks it is.
100* MsFanservice:
101** Vicki Vale. To make that point even more blunt, her first ever appearance in the story has her standing in her apartment talking about Batman... wearing nothing but pink lingerie.
102** Also Black Canary, with her usual large breasts, exposed cleavage, and fishnet stockings, with the variation that this is her work outfit in a seedy bar.
103* MythologyGag:
104** One of Black Canary's sleazy customers strongly resembles [[ComicBook/GreenArrow Oliver Queen]].
105** Dick initially wants to be an archery-themed superhero called The Hood, a nod to his father's love of the old ''Myth/RobinHood'' movies. In real life, the 1938 film ''Film/TheAdventuresOfRobinHood'' was one of the inspirations behind the creation of Robin.
106* NeverMyFault: Several moments in the story have Batman repeatedly blame Dick Grayson for coming into his life and becoming his sidekick, [[SelfServingMemory completely ignoring the fact]] that he's the one who abducted the boy against his will in the first place.
107* NominalHero: Batman is depicted in an absolutely psychotic light, abusing Robin and slaughtering dozens of police officers with absolute glee, and is only considered heroic due to being on the ''good'' team.
108* OnlySaneMan:
109** Alfred finds himself making crazy suggestions.
110--->'''Alfred:''' Maybe we shouldn't force [Dick] to ''survive by eating rats''.
111** Green Lantern too. Pity he's also the ButtMonkey.
112* ThePeepingTom: Happens when Jimmy Olsen visits Vicki Vale in the hospital. The reader is [[DepartmentOfRedundancyDepartment repeatedly informed by the narration boxes]] that Jimmy doesn't watch, but he is [[UnreliableNarrator clearly shown turning his head]] near the bottom of the page.
113* PetTheDog: Batman taking Robin to his parents' graves to allow him to properly grieve. He also shows compassion to Catwoman when he finds her injured.
114* PoliticallyIncorrectHero: In addition to calling Dick retarded, Batman dismissively refers to Wonder Woman as "the Wicked Witch of Lesbo Island".
115* PowerDynamicsKink: Franchise/WonderWoman gets aroused and kisses Franchise/{{Superman}} after he knocks her over by shouting and stomping the ground.
116* ProtagonistCenteredMorality: Anyone who is not Batman or disagrees with what he's doing is ineffectual, stupid, and/or evil. Anyone who ''is'' Batman or agrees with his methods is heroic and awesome.
117* PsychopathicManchild: In addition to the joy he takes in violence, Batman has the temperament of a child, getting incredibly moody and angry whenever someone isn't impressed with his cave or gadgets. Possibly done as a [[DeconstructedTrope deconstruction]] of Batman. ''We hope.''
118* RefugeInAudacity: Black Canary is a barmaid who wears a {{stripperiffic}} outfit as part of her job. One night, the accumulated tension of unattractive men hitting on her in the most vulgar way wears her patience so thin she is ready to explode. Then one of them actually gropes her. She snaps, and beats the everliving crap out everyone, to unconsciousness. She makes a point of making one of them swallow his wedding ring, for obvious reasons. She loots their bodies. She torches the place. She runs away on a motorbike by jumping over a ramp and into the air. Coincidentally, Detective Gordon's car was passing right under. He brushes it off, saying they've got bigger things to worry about. As a matter of fact, he is right. Allstar Gotham is only marginally less insane than ''ComicBook/SinCity''.
119* RunningGag: The Batmobile being a "queer name" for a car. Lampshaded in hilarious fashion.
120-->'''Batman:''' Not one ''word.'' I've taken ''enough'' grief about calling my goddamn car the goddamn Batmobile. I'm the goddamn ''Batman'' and I can call my goddamn car whatever the hell I ''want'' to call it.
121* SceneryPorn: One of the few well-received things about the series. Jim Lee took the comic seriously and turned in some truly amazing work.
122* SecretlyEarmarkedForGreatness: Batman's been keeping an eye on Dick Grayson for some time prior to their first meeting, to the point of knowing his entire educational history off by heart, suggesting that he would have been willing to recruit Dick even if his parents ''hadn't'' been murdered. Of course, given Batman's [[AdaptationalVillainy objectively demented behavior]] throughout the series, this led to speculation that ''he'' arranged for the murders just to get a sidekick - though this was ultimately disproven when the Joker was revealed as the assassin's paymaster.
123* SelfPlagiarism: Miller draws from ''ComicBook/SinCity'':
124** "Dick Grayson, Aged 12", is reminiscent of "That Yellow Bastard"'s "Nancy Callaghan, Aged 11".
125** Batman kicks a police officer through through the windshield of a police car, a feat previously pulled off by Marv in Miller's "The Hard Goodbye".
126* SkewedPriorities: Donna Gugina not knowing the Joker is a violent criminal? Fair enough, it is the early days of the character's history and he's not as infamous. Her not reacting to him admitting to trying to kill people? She's more concerned that he's not very funny.
127* SlasherSmile: Not from [[ComicBook/TheJoker the guy you'd expect]], but Batman himself, to Creator/GoNagai levels!
128* SociopathicHero: This version of Batman actually takes pleasure in inflicting pain on criminals.
129* SplashPanel: The Batcave is introduced in a six-page spread.
130* StalkerWithoutACrush: Batman says he'd been scoping out Dick Grayson as a sidekick for ''months'' before his parents were even killed.
131* StartOfDarkness: An unintentional one for [[spoiler:''Dark Knight Strikes Again'''s Dick Grayson]].
132* StrawFeminist: Wonder Woman, who is introduced shoving a guy out of her way while growling "Out of my way, sperm bank." [[AllAmazonsWantHercules It seems she's mostly unsatisfied by men's failure to live up to her expectations, rather than actually claiming superiority or even equality as a woman]]: men are overhyped, weaker than they are supposed to be, than they claim to be. Superman proves to be a subversion: his boy-scout, simple morals clash with her pragmatism and warrior ethos, but he has the power, strength, and intimidation to back up his statements, and that ''really turns her on''.
133* StupidGood:
134** Green Lantern and Superman both come off this way, more out of ignorance than actual stupidity.
135** And in Creator/FrankMiller stories, Batman is always goddamn right. '''Always.'''
136* TestosteronePoisoning: Creator/FrankMiller grade, triple distilled.
137* ThoseWackyNazis: The Joker's muscular, shirtless henchwoman. With swastika pasties over her breasts. It's a ContinuityNod to a minor character in ''ComicBook/BatmanTheDarkKnightReturns''.
138* TrainingFromHell: Clearly what Batman intended for Robin.
139* TravelingAtTheSpeedOfPlot:
140** A lot of these issues come up. The series goes over two or three nights, depending on how you look at it, yet Miller seems to forget this since the books took so long to come out. Especially in issue nine. Batman arranges a meeting with Hal Jordan 'in twelve hours' in issue eight; yet in issue nine, Batman is reminiscing about multiple training sessions and Dick Grayson being in the cave with him for weeks. Also, apparently an entire clinic was bribed, Dick made a press conference and then they could paint an entire apartment yellow with "nearly an hour to spare" before Jordan arrived for his meeting twelve hours since issue eight.
141** This is probably because Frank Miller is utilizing non-linear storytelling. Sometimes it's hard to keep track of all the "11 hours earlier" in the same issue. (Also, it's downright impossible to tell if "11 hours ago" means 11 hours before the previous scene which was "5 hours ago" or 11 hours before ''now'' - whenever "now" is. Which makes you wonder the point of all the hopping around in the first place, as it only serves to confuse things.
142* WhatTheHellHero: Both Robin and The Green Lantern call out Batman for his Bat-shit crazy behavior. Ironically, Batman also gets to call out Robin when Robin [[spoiler:crushes Green Lantern's throat]].
143* WhoAreYou: The second issue included this exchange (which effectively set the tone for the series as a whole):
144-->'''Dick Grayson, [[RunningGag Age 12]]:''' Who the hell are you anyway, giving out orders like this?\
145'''Batman:''' What are you, ''dense''? Are you ''retarded'' or something? Who the hell do you ''think'' I am? I'm the Goddamn ''Batman''.
146* WithGreatPowerComesGreatInsanity: Batman fantasizes about what he could do with Green Lantern's ring - force everyone to think ''his'' way. God help us.

Top