Hello and welcome to the World of Bats, the Batman Book Club!
This week, we’re going to be looking at another horror story for the month of October and checking out the infamous Batman: Damned, written by Brian Azzarello, with art by Lee Bermejo!
NOTE: This is a 17+ rated book, which contains many mature themes, harsh language, and strong violence. If you are a younger reader, or if such themes can be triggering, you might want to skip this one.
This is the reading for 2021-10-16T05:00:00Z → 2021-10-22T05:00:00Z, but of course if you’re finding yourself stuck in a inescapable hellscape, you’re free to come back later!
So please share your thoughts once you’re done reading! This is a very interesting work, one full of theories and interpretations, and I’m looking forward to talking them with you all!
Also, if you’re looking for something a little less darker, The World of Bats is trying something a little different – I’ve set up a Series Discussion thread for the newest DC mini-series that just dropped today, Robins! So give that a read and let’s talk about it!
As this is Black Label, this is a standalone story. I might be wrong but I think only the White Knight books (as the universe crossovers from DC to DC Black Label) and Three Jokers are attached to other stories.
As @D4RK5TARZ said, it’s pretty standalone. The only thing I can kinda see as a possible book also in this universe is Azzarello and Lee Bermejo’s previous graphic novel Joker, since it shares some of the same looks and aesthetics, and people have suggested that, without going into spoilers, that some scenes in Joker are also in this.
Yeah, I got it digitally a while back, but I think I’m going to have to get that nice deluxe edition at some point in the future, it is such a great book.
@LK3185, if you are curious about Joker, it is on DCUI!
This is my first Black Label DC comic and it did not disappoint. I wish it was a few more issues, however I get the 3 issue limit. This is definitely a story that will have so many interpretations and theories. I look forward to seeing what everyone thinks!
Just Joined! Happy to be here at the Start of Damned!
Unnecessary Personal Story…
Short Story, I got my uncensored copy in my Pull box. It was waiting for me, and by the time i got it, the Comic was sold out everywhere. They sold me the copies in my pull box at retail. Then offered to buy them back from me at a profit to me.
I have to say, Rereading the censored version doesn’t take from the story line but hurts the Raw nature of this Comic Run. The Nudity was a very sybolic nature of the stripped and lost postion Batman was and is in . He is “Naked”. Naked clearly in his own eyes as well.
What a powerful opener to Black Label.
Thanks For having me!
From what I understand, Azzarello described Damned as “a quasi-sequel to Joker .” He said one did not have to read Joker to understand Damned , but if they read both they would see connections. The series’ narrative is a reverse of Joker 's. In Joker , was not physically present until the final pages but nonetheless plays a significant role; conversely, in Damned , the Joker only appears at the beginning but remains a narrative driving force.
On that infamous panel: I was relistening to an interview Brian Azzarello did earlier this year and talked about Damned. He said that he thought if anything was going to be controversial, it was going to be the Jokerized crucifix at the end of that issue. When he found out what everyone was talking about wasn’t that, but Batman’s member, his understated response was, “Uh…okay?”
Wait, they upped the price on the books? Personally, that would have been my last transaction at that place. If it is in your pull list, there is no reason for them to do that.
I don’t think you are following me. It was waiting in my pull box. And I did pay retail. But other then the copies in my pull box, it was sold out. And they wanted to buy them back from me? Why would I switch from one of the most reputable comicbook retailers?
Youre defiantly not following. I paid 7.99 minus my 20% on every hundred, a copy. But by that time they were already on the wall and EVERYONE ELSE BUT ME, was being charged large amounts
