DCU Book Club Week 103: BATWING (2011-) Issues 1-7, Aug 31-Sep 6

[JLWWSM]

”Africa, a land of beauty and of great horror. A land of creation and conflict. It is in desperate need of a defender, and from the ranks of Batman Incorporated comes a soldier to carry on the legacy of The Dark Knight in the most tumultuous region on Earth.”

Greetings DCU,

Thanks for stopping by for week 103!

To honor the legacy of Chadwick Boseman, this week, we are heading to the heart of Africa, the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Covered in armor and tech provided by Batman, David Zavimbe fights for justice!

Note: The complete story arc is from issue 1-8. We are reading issues 1-7. If you read issue 8, please use the “blur spoiler” function when discussing the big reveal in issue 8.

HOW TO JOIN THE FUN!

• Read the story between Monday, August 31, 2020 and Sunday, September 6, 2020.

• Reply your answers to the discussion questions, share your thoughts about the story, or both!

• Have fun discussing the book with the community. All are welcome to join, just jump right in!

Our SPOILER discussion begins NOW.

What to Read: BATWING (2011) Issues 1-7

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. Is this your first time reading Batwing (2011-)?

2. What new wisdom/expertise do you think Batwing will be able to bring to the Bat-family’s crime fighting skills?

3. What do you think of David?

4. Who do you think Massacre is? (Note: If you read issue 8, please use the “blur spoiler” function when discussing this question.)

As always, we’d love to hear your candid thoughts and reactions to the story.

Questions? Concerns? Feel free to send me a direct message.

Click here to learn more about DCU Book Club (DCUBC).

Happy Reading!

[Don-El]

Oh my, a mysterious issue 8! bookmarking.

[bcarder2]

I’m in!

[JLWWSM]

Great to see you! @Don-El and glad to hear it!

[JLWWSM]

Hi! @bcarder2

Fantastic, welcome!

[Jay_Kay]

Cool! This was a book I wanted to look back on, so definitely curious to see how it holds up.

[JLWWSM]

Sounds good! @Jay_Kay

[bcarder2]

Ok, so I did a little binge reading tonight. This was my first time reading the Batwing series. Love the artwork in these issues. Quite a different style than the usual hard lines. It’s noticeable from the very first panel. Also the overall style from being void of any background at times to the use of standout silhouettes.

I also like learning about a new hero and their origin story, the why of what they do. Prior, I had only known Batwing as being Lucas Fox, the son of Lucius Fox, from Bad Blood.
Batwing has a past of guerilla warfare he brings to the Bat-family’s technical warfare and detective work. Although until he brought out the flames he hadn’t had any success and even then things went sideways. So, still lots to learn I suppose. It was apparent that Batman had been training him. It was noticeable in the first issue when Batman quizzed him on what he was looking for at Massacre’s first slaughter scene and later by asking what he had found in his research.
David was born physically gifted, and as stated by Matu Ba, ‘a stunning intellect’, having a talent for kicking ass. He is very similar to Bruce, developing a line that he will never cross, even though he got there by a different route. The difference is that he has been beyond that line already, for survival purposes, and now sees part of his mission statement as redemption for his past deeds. There was a moment though, in issue #8, where the thought may have crossed his mind.
Hopefully, without spoiling anything, I’ll just say this; I was pretty confident that I knew who Massacre was by the #4 issue.
One other thing that stood out to me was how Batman worked his “team”. From having Batwing do research as mentioned before, to Robin, Batgirl, and Nightwing doing footwork in Gotham, and even Alfred with the Google search. Lol.
I really enjoyed this read and once I got started I couldn’t stop until I was through it.

[JLWWSM]

Hi @bcarder2,

I really enjoyed reading your comments! I’ve re-read your post a few times because it was so well-said. Especially this:

@bcarder2

He is very similar to Bruce, developing a line that he will never cross, even though he got there by a different route. The difference is that he has been beyond that line already, for survival purposes, and now sees part of his mission statement as redemption for his past deeds.

So true!

Spoiler for issue 8: I think I started to suspect it in issue 4 too, especially when the words started sounding familiar.

I’m so glad you were able to binge through it. It’s a really good story to sit and read through at once.- Thanks for reading along and sharing your thoughts!

[JLWWSM]

Happy Friday

Discussion for Batwing is open through Sunday night!

[Don-El]

Thanks for posting this timely reading. Batwing was one of the literally 52 new concepts that came out from DC back in late 2012. It was part of the glistening jewel called New 52.

I picked this up at the time, as it was part of a larger Batman Incorporated that was being published. It was a tough brutal story to read at the time. Now it’s even more ominous than it was back in the day.

I like the writer Judd Winick. I feel like the art was very good and rich although I am not at all familiar with the art team. Overall I felt this worked very well as part of a larger Batman Incorporated international presence concept. I would have loved to have seen at least three or four other series like this in other countries.

Certain parts of Africa and other continents go through constant regime changes because of bad economic situations and of course several not-so-great regimes. When this came out the US economy was starting to improve from the 2009 crash. Reading it now I realize current day covid America is not that far from this kind of chaos due to a bad economic situation and legitimate anger and wrath of vast groups of people. Let’s hope we pull out of this and don’t see things turn into the kind of mass ugliness that this comic book deals with.

Thanks for posting @JLWWSM, this is a very thought-provoking selection this time around.

[JLWWSM]

Hi @Don-El

This was my second time reading it. It was less brutal for me the second time around, because I knew what was coming, but it’s still poignant.

@Don-El

I feel like the art was very good and rich although I am not at all familiar with the art team.

I thought the art was good and felt right for the tone of the story. In a way, it set the tone for the story.

@Don-El

I would have loved to have seen at least three or four other series like this in other countries.

That would’ve been fun to read! I hope they revisit something like that.

@Don-El

Let’s hope we pull out of this and don’t see things turn into the kind of mass ugliness that this comic book deals with.

The book deals with child-solider levels of mass ugliness. As a country, I don’t think we’re anywhere near that. I think we’re going through a period of change that will ultimately make us “a more perfect union”. I’m an optimist.

@Don-El

Thanks for posting @JLWWSM, this is a very thought-provoking selection this time around.

You’re very welcome! Thank you for reading along and letting us know your candid thoughts

[Jay_Kay]

1. Is this your first time reading Batwing (2011-)?

I had read a little of it, and I had read the Night of the Owls tie-in that happens a couple of issues later. Overall I really liked it – David is a strong new addition to the family, Ben Oliver’s art is wonderful, and I really found the addition of The Kingdom very interesting. I think I would love to see a mini or something that explored those characters at their prime.

2. What new wisdom/expertise do you think Batwing will be able to bring to the Bat-family’s crime fighting skills?

I think his background certainly can give them a different perspective.

3. What do you think of David?

He was interesting to read because at first he seems so reserved and yet tenacious, and then you see his time as a child soldier, where he was forced to do horrible things to survive, and how he views himself as a monster even still, and I think there’s definitely something compelling about him.

4. Who do you think Massacre is? (Note: If you read issue 8, please use the “blur spoiler” function when discussing this question.)

I have read issue 8, but I kind of figured it out back in issue 3 or 4. I mean, when has a story like this introduced a sibling that seemingly dies, though we never see the body, and said sibling WASN’T the villain?

[JLWWSM]

Hi! @Jay_Kay

@Jay_Kay

really found the addition of The Kingdom very interesting. I think I would love to see a mini or something that explored those characters at their prime.

I was intrigued by the Kingdom as well.

@Jay_Kay

I think his background certainly can give them a different perspective.

Absolutely!

@Jay_Kay

and how he views himself as a monster even still,

It’s so sad , but he is very inspirational in how he fights through it.

Regarding issue 8 very true.

Thanks for revisiting the story with us!

[bcarder2]

@JLWWSM

I think we’re going through a period of change that will ultimately make us “a more perfect union”. I’m an optimist.

[bcarder2]

@Jay_Kay

I really found the addition of The Kingdom very interesting. I think I would love to see a mini or something that explored those characters at their prime.

Same