Nocturna: Literally a Knock-Out
The Renegade Robins Club invites you to see the beginning of Doug Moench’s run on the Bat-books! Jay Todd is not Robin yet, but while we wait for him to get the gig, we can enjoy the debut of some exciting new rogues, including Nocturna! Also, we get appearances by Man-Bat and (in his 2nd appearance) Harvey Bullock!
Join the club: https://community.dcuniverseinfinite.com/g/JasonToddBookClub
And for more Community Events appearances by our Boy Wonder, click this drop-down menu:
Across the Community
*In the main Bat-club, World of Bats: The Batman Book Club!, they’re looking at the 2013 series Batman: Black and White, and issue #2 has a Man-Bat story not unlike the one you’ll find in our reading selection!
:batman_hv_1:[World of Bats}:batman_hv_3: Batman Book Club: Batman: Black and White (2013)
*If you’re in the mood for more Nocturna, you’ll love next week’s World of Bats coverage of a Crisis on Infinite Earths tie-in! (Stay tuned!)
*Speaking of the Crisis, you can catch Jason Todd (and every other DC alum) in that series, which is now the focus of a DCU Book Club event: DCU Book Club-Epics: CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS (1985-) Issues 1-12, Nov 17 - Dec 8
From COIE #9
*Then top it off with some post-Crisis Jason Todd via the Characters of DC Club: Characters of DC Club (C of DC) First Month
We’ll also keep track of cameo appearances by Jason outside of the main titles, so be sure to look out for “bird sightings” in the weeks to come.
Bird Sighting: New Teen Titans
Outlaws in the making! Kory goes looking for Dick and comes across a new Wayne ward instead. After meeting her future ally, she tells the Titans (presumptuously) that Batman has a new sidekick.
The New Teen Titans #33: DC Universe
Now for a little context for today’s reading:
Background
Doug Moench may be better remembered for his 1990s tenure in the Batman comics, but he was the author of both Batman and Detective Comics from Gerry Conway’s departure in 1983 until the official transition to post-Crisis continuity in late 1986. Perhaps his most enduring contribution in the mid-80s would be the creation of Black Mask, but his run has far more to offer than just one villain.
Moench took an extremely obscure police character from a single issue of a 1974 issue of Detective Comics and essentially created a brand new character of the same name. That character, Harvey Bullock, would serve as an antagonist for Commissioner Gordon before becoming a beloved mainstay of the Bat-titles. To see just how different he was in his blink-and-you’ll-miss-it first appearance, check out 'Tec #441 here:
DC Universe
Moench also carried forward some plot points from Conway’s run on the book. In particular, the Man-Bat two-parter here is a direct sequel to a 1982 story in Batman #348:
DC Universe
So let’s get started with this session: 2019-11-11T06:00:00Z → 2019-11-24T06:00:00Z
Week 2 Reading (Eight Issues)
This session conveniently splits into two smaller arcs divided by an optional standalone issue. The first arc begins and ends with Batman facing the Savage Skull, but the story is interrupted by some shenanigans from the Man-Bat.
-
Batman #360:
DC Universe -
Detective Comics 527:
DC Universe -
Batman #361:
DC Universe -
Detective Comics #528:
DC Universe
Next, we get the purely optional reading. The Riddler shows up, but Jason Todd is AWOL in this issue! It wraps up the Bullock-induced cliffhanger from 'Tec #528 if you need that closure, but otherwise, it’s okay to skip this one.
- Batman #362:
DC Universe
Then we wrap things up with the first appearance of Nocturna, whom some would call a pale (pun intended) imitation of Selina Kyle, but whom others are sure to appreciate for the awesome Goth Girl Cosplay opportunity that she is.
-
Detective Comics #529:
DC Universe -
Batman #363:
DC Universe -
Detective Comics #530:
DC Universe
Feel free to offer your own thoughts on the books, but if you need a little guidance, here are some questions:
Discussion Questions
-
While Bruce essentially recruited Dick as a partner on the spot back in 1940, he seems far more reluctant to let Jason join his war on crime. Do you think Batman has grown older and wiser, or has he just become a big buzzkill in his old age? Do you take Wayne’s side or Todd’s side in their conflict?
-
What parallels do you see between this story and the debut appearances of Tim Drake in 1989? What other parallels can you see between these issues and later Batman stories?
-
Of the new characters (Savage Skull, Nocturna, and Thief of Night), who did you find the most compelling, and why? For those of you who have read the New 52 Batwoman series, how do you feel about Nocturna Classic in comparison to the post-Flashpoint version?
-
Of the recurring characters (Man-Bat, Vicki Vale, and Harvey Bullock), who did you find the most compelling, and why? How do they stack up to their appearances both before and after this story?
-
Not only did we get an optional Riddler book in here, but we also got another Green Arrow backup tale in the 'Tec issues, and we had a Bird Sighting in New Teen Titans! If you read any of these bonus stories, what did you think of them? Which one was your favorite? Which one is for the birds?
Batman has been neglecting Jason Todd this week. Don’t you do the same, fellow Outlaws! Don’t make Jay cry!