16 thoughts on “Batman: The Fall and the Fallen by Tom King”
Gaaah bleh! That’s basically all I have to say about Tom King’s misguided attempts to destroy Batman 🤣
And, judging by your review, which btw sounds as if the final score should have been lower 😉, you are slowly getting there too, Lashaan! 😂😂😂
I am trying to be as merciful as I can with him right now… I really disliked how he does Bane and even more how he does the Batman vs. Bane dynamic since his earlier arcs (I believe it starts with I am Bane). And unfortunately for me… The final event before it’s time for James Tynion IV to take a chance on Batman is all about Bane… Got to admit your comment had me laughing out loud hahahaha
I read I am Bane, and it’s such a lame story and a ham-fisted attempt to claim that Batman and Bane are in effect the same… Bane as the mythical evil twin is for me the crucial proof that King simply doesn’t understand neither the idea of myth nor the concept of engaging storyline within a broader superhero narrative.
I’ve read several of his Batman issues, before and after that hateful War of Jokes and Riddles. All in all, King lays his message on so heavily that any pleasure that could be had from reading simply evaporates.
In short, No mercy for King!!! 🤣
I think I may have enjoyed this arc slightly more than you Lashaan but I do get where you are coming from on a number of points. Tom King certainly writes in a more literary, poetic style which as you say makes it a more artistic endeavour but I agree he can fall into a trap of repetition. I know you’re not fond of Bane, or at least the way he’s depicted in this run – I think the appreciation I have comes from my nostalgia of Knightfall which was coming out as I was just getting into comics and Batman.
On the plus side, the art is indeed great and Jorge Fornes (he’s actually also worked on a couple of recent Daredevil issues as well) in particular, his channelling of David Mazzuchelli is pleasingly uncanny! Alas, it does fall apart somewhat in City of Bane – so, I may be wrong of course, but I feel if you were underwhelmed with this arc then the finale isn’t going to turn things around for you. Awesome review sir, I do look forward to your thoughts on City of Bane as I’m very intrigued to see how you get on with that!
I do like that he gives his stories, or at least tries to, a more poetic edge to them. It works at times but when it doesn’t, it sort of tarnishes the whole thing for me.
I am indeed not fond of Tom King’s portrayal of Bane, especially how he does Batman vs. Bane. Since I am Batman, I found it very unimpressive, since he simply rehashes Knightfall and flips the original narrative upside down… This time around, he does have some clever ideas but the execution still feels off to me. I personally will always thing Knightfall was superior (even if it’s for nostalgic factors like you said) to what King has attempted to do so far… Batman just doesn’t sound like himself when he has Bane all over his mind…
I definitely love your comparison to David Mazzuchelli because it really does remind me of that too! I’m just glad that the artwork was great though. If it had the artwork of those stories in Secret Files, I would’ve ripped this story arc apart in this review… I honestly can’t wait to see Tynion’s first arc myself. I think King’s time with Batman is done…
I read “While it felt like the whole story was being dragged through the mud—or just on the back of a horse in the middle of a desert…” and then I saw the picture. Ah, I see what you did there. Witty.
The artworks looks really weird, especially the pages set in the desert, on your pictures 😯 Also, how many books can you hold in one hand to take a picture? 😛
Hahaha it’s hard to capture the overall artwork for this one without spoilers though. As for how many… I’d say 8… I try and show the issue number of each one of them and with more than 8, it becomes near impossible for my relatively small hands 😂 I’d near a 3rd one to make things work, quoi 😂
Bookidote 
Gaaah bleh! That’s basically all I have to say about Tom King’s misguided attempts to destroy Batman 🤣
And, judging by your review, which btw sounds as if the final score should have been lower 😉, you are slowly getting there too, Lashaan! 😂😂😂
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I am trying to be as merciful as I can with him right now… I really disliked how he does Bane and even more how he does the Batman vs. Bane dynamic since his earlier arcs (I believe it starts with I am Bane). And unfortunately for me… The final event before it’s time for James Tynion IV to take a chance on Batman is all about Bane…
Got to admit your comment had me laughing out loud hahahaha
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😁
I read I am Bane, and it’s such a lame story and a ham-fisted attempt to claim that Batman and Bane are in effect the same… Bane as the mythical evil twin is for me the crucial proof that King simply doesn’t understand neither the idea of myth nor the concept of engaging storyline within a broader superhero narrative.
I’ve read several of his Batman issues, before and after that hateful War of Jokes and Riddles. All in all, King lays his message on so heavily that any pleasure that could be had from reading simply evaporates.
In short, No mercy for King!!! 🤣
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I think I may have enjoyed this arc slightly more than you Lashaan but I do get where you are coming from on a number of points. Tom King certainly writes in a more literary, poetic style which as you say makes it a more artistic endeavour but I agree he can fall into a trap of repetition. I know you’re not fond of Bane, or at least the way he’s depicted in this run – I think the appreciation I have comes from my nostalgia of Knightfall which was coming out as I was just getting into comics and Batman.
On the plus side, the art is indeed great and Jorge Fornes (he’s actually also worked on a couple of recent Daredevil issues as well) in particular, his channelling of David Mazzuchelli is pleasingly uncanny! Alas, it does fall apart somewhat in City of Bane – so, I may be wrong of course, but I feel if you were underwhelmed with this arc then the finale isn’t going to turn things around for you. Awesome review sir, I do look forward to your thoughts on City of Bane as I’m very intrigued to see how you get on with that!
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I do like that he gives his stories, or at least tries to, a more poetic edge to them. It works at times but when it doesn’t, it sort of tarnishes the whole thing for me.
I am indeed not fond of Tom King’s portrayal of Bane, especially how he does Batman vs. Bane. Since I am Batman, I found it very unimpressive, since he simply rehashes Knightfall and flips the original narrative upside down… This time around, he does have some clever ideas but the execution still feels off to me. I personally will always thing Knightfall was superior (even if it’s for nostalgic factors like you said) to what King has attempted to do so far… Batman just doesn’t sound like himself when he has Bane all over his mind…
I definitely love your comparison to David Mazzuchelli because it really does remind me of that too! I’m just glad that the artwork was great though. If it had the artwork of those stories in Secret Files, I would’ve ripped this story arc apart in this review… I honestly can’t wait to see Tynion’s first arc myself. I think King’s time with Batman is done…
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I still look forward to seeing how Batman/Catwoman turns out and think Strange Adventures has potential after Mister Miracle!
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Batman is my all-time favourite comic character. Hate seeing him not given the treatment he deserves.
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Then we share another thing in common then! 😉 And yes, always sad to pick up a less-than-perfect story with him in it!
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I read “While it felt like the whole story was being dragged through the mud—or just on the back of a horse in the middle of a desert…” and then I saw the picture. Ah, I see what you did there. Witty.
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Hahaha yes! Only those who pay attention or have read this story would’ve caught that. You passed the test. 😁
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The artworks looks really weird, especially the pages set in the desert, on your pictures 😯 Also, how many books can you hold in one hand to take a picture? 😛
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Hahaha it’s hard to capture the overall artwork for this one without spoilers though. As for how many… I’d say 8… I try and show the issue number of each one of them and with more than 8, it becomes near impossible for my relatively small hands 😂 I’d near a 3rd one to make things work, quoi 😂
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Hahaha small hands 🥰
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