- What did you think of Damian in these issues and did anything about these issues surprise you?
I can’t say anything really surprised me. I’ve of course read the initial “Batman & Son” arc loads of times and still enjoy it. Damian has a strong, memorable introduction – looking back, I get the feeling that him nearly killing Tim might be a big part of why some fans hate him so much, maybe if he just merely beaten him he would be liked more? I dunno.
The Annuals I hadn’t read before and honestly they’re kind of “Meh” all around. Like @AlexanderKnox said, it’s clear no one else other than Morrison really knew how to write the kid yet.
- (For those that have already read these issues what was your reaction to this news back at the time you first read it.?)
I remember thinking he was a fun character from the beginning. It was interesting seeing Bruce and Alfred react to the little monster, and I liked that he had some depth in that like most kids, he just wants his estranged parents back together.
That said, I didn’t like the way they made it that Damian came from being roofied then, and I don’t like it now. It’s such a dumb retcon to what the original story was and I’m shocked that no one unretconed it yet.
(Is that a word? Can we make it a word?)
- What did you think of the History of Ra’s al Ghul that was presented in Batman Annual #26?
Eh, nothing really interesting. It’s odd to think that the Lazarus Pits that Ra’s is so associated with was actually just something he found from his father-in-law’s notes. I guess he had to have found out about them somehow, I just wish it was something that he did more to look for, if that makes any sense.
- The first story in the Robin Annual is one in which Robin (Tim Drake) works with Bullock. How would you say this story compares to the one we read last week featuring Bullock and Robin (Jason Todd)?
I think the Film Freak story with Jason was a more compelling team-up. Here, Tim really just bumps into Bullock a couple of times, whereas in the 80s story there was actual teamwork going on. Plus that 80s story was just a better one overall.
- The second story features Damian in a ghost story. It’s billed as a “sneak peek” into the Resurrection of Ra’s al Ghul according to the cover but was it really or was Batman Annual #26 more of one?
The Batman Annual was absolutely more of a sneak peek. The Robin Annual has a little hint about it, I guess, with all the prophecies towards Damian’s death, but that was already done effectively enough in the Batman Annual.
- What did you think of Batman #666?
I love it. On it’s own, it’s a pretty cool one-shot of a potential, hellish future of Gotham City, but when compared to the rest of the Morrison run, it’s a fun preview of things to come, even if the designs of all the future villains are kinda lame compared to what they will look like in Batman & Robin.