[World of Bats] CASEFILE 002 -- Batman: White Knight

Welcome back to the World of Bats, the Batman Book Club, and a special edition too! Today we’re unlocking a new Casefile – larger stories that may take more time than the usual books and for special occasions – and what a special occasion this is!

For the rest of the month of April, we’re going to have a deep dive into the most recent big addition to the DC Universe library of comics, “Batman: White Knight!”

Link to the series can be found HERE!

Discussion Questions:

  1. While this is a relatively recent series, it’s been already considered one of the greater stories in recent years. Is this your first time reading it? Do you think it lives up to the hype?

  2. This story features a take on the Batman world that feels both similar and yet takes shocking liberties with the original source material. What differences did you like? What changes didn’t you like?

  3. After reading this story and knowing that Sean Murphy is planning to expand on this universe more, what characters or ideas that aren’t in the story or as prominent would you want to see in future stories? (Note: Without spoiling too much of what we see in Batman: Curse of the White Knight)

Casefile officially goes from 2020-04-21T05:00:00Z2020-04-30T05:00:00Z

Let us know all your thoughts down below! And if you haven’t joined the World of Bats club already, you can do so by clicking HERE! And if you have any questions, you can contact @Jay_Kay, @JeepersItsTheJamags, and @Aquamon.

9 Likes

So great that they got this on here! This is one of the best Batman and Joker stories. Looking forward to going back over this and a great time too, having just finished Curse.

3 Likes

Huge fan of the universe Sean Murphy built! I love how it is built in its own world but still pays homage to past interpretations of the bat by bringing some older fan favorite materials into his story. From the story to the art style, it was impossible to put down. I wouldve liked to see Dick Grayson featured a bit more but I’m sure we’ll see that in the future.

3 Likes

Definitely, I’m curious if perhaps there are any hints to what was revealed in Curse in White Knight…

Funny you should say that, because over at the Q&A Sean Murphy did for here yesterday he did talk about doing more with Dick in the near future. Presumably it will either be in the next installment, or in some other side series in his pop up imprint he announced earlier this year.

https://www.newsarama.com/49261-sean-murphy-says-dc-approves-mini-imprint-for-white-knight-spin-offs.html

7 Likes

Great news!!

4 Likes

I adore Sean Murphey’s work since, Punk Rock Jesus; everyone should read that BTW.

BUTTAH, discussions,

×××

  1. While this is a relatively recent series, it’s been already considered one of the greater stories in recent years. Is this your first time reading it? Do you think it lives up to the hype?

+Yup. 1st time.
+Nope, did not live up to the hype. I kept hearing people say this is an “all new dynamic” of Joker being the hero and Batman the villain. Nope. Disagree. Joker is still a villain and Batman isn’t a villain. This was a new angle of the same dynamic. Maybe a nitpick, but still. I was disappointed in that aspect.
+The art? Phenomenal. The story? Captivating. The world building? Lovely. So much awesomeness in this story. The unfortunate truth, it did not live up to the hype.

This story features a take on the Batman world that feels both similar and yet takes shocking liberties with the original source material. What differences did you like? What changes didn’t you like?

+I didn’t find it shocking. Batman has been shown to be ruthless in other interpretations.
+I liked that they pointed out how Batman doesn’t listen to people. I didn’t like how much it was insinuated that Batman is just as bad as Joker.

  1. After reading this story and knowing that Sean Murphy is planning to expand on this universe more, what characters or ideas that aren’t in the story or as prominent would you want to see in future stories? (Note: Without spoiling too much of what we see in Batman: Curse of the White Knight)
  • +Haven’t read CurseoftheWK yet, I want to see Sean Murphy’s world as much as possible. I wanna see what he does with the Al Ghul Family. I want to see his Jason Todd (Will he be Red Hood? Something else?). I’d like to see his version of Bane (character wise). And, honestly, basically any interpretations of the Batman mythos.

×××

[×]

3 Likes

This was my first time reading this series and I must say I was thoroughly surprised and entertained the entire time. The way Batman and Gotham as a whole are portrayed are unique and fun. Not the biggest fan of Batman’s attitude in this. Don’t know how to convey my feelings about this iteration without spoiling but I’ll say even if I’m not a fan I respect it. I respect what the Author intended and have to respect how brilliantly he pulled it off. Personally I’m dissatisfied with a part of the ending that will keep my from being too excited for more from this alternative universe. However, everything else about the comic will keep me coming back nonetheless.

3 Likes

This is definitely the most interesting Batman take in a long while. It gives the Batman myth the critical dismantling that Superman had endured for few years. I think the social commentary of Backport, and the devastation fund remains in harmonious balance with gratuitous fan service ( aka the super villain team up and retro Bat-mobiles. The art design alone is worth the read.

5 Likes

VVELCOME! Velcome! Welcome, to the DCU+ Community. I’m sorry that you didn’t care much for this version of Batman. I thought it was cool. [×]

1 Like
  1. Yes this is my first time reading it. Just finished it and it was awesome I couldn’t put it down. Really hooks you in and the pages just fly by. I would say it lived up to the hype.

  2. some of the changes were amazing. I definitely like the grounded tone. Freeze be friends with the Wayne’s was nice. A change I hated at first was the two Harleys but as the story went on and they made one neo joker I came to like it.

  3. I can’t wait for more. I have to get my hands on curse at some point. The art was great I loved the BTAS vibe. Tie story was great. I would love to see his yak on more powered heroes i this grounded world which from he Live Q&A he had a few days ago he did mention something about Supes and the league may appear it he said that years from now.

Side notes: I was really fun to read. I enjoyed reading joker as when I read joker I hear it in the Mark Hamil voice but when he was Napier my mind just auto switched it to marks normal voice for him. I did feel sad for Clayface throughout the whole thing get torchered and brained. Nice to see him get some payback.

Overall very awesome story. Would love to see it as a movie/show live/animated.

3 Likes

VVELCOME! Velcome!

It’s always nice to see someone new. I agree with the notion that the artwork alone is worthy of the read.

I’d encourage you to checkout Punk Rock Jesus! Amazing art and another captivating story. [×]

1 Like

@NYJt3

I’d love to see an animated version of this as well and the feeling is mutual about having Two Harleys. I mean, it ended strong, but… It just left a bad taste in my mouth, an awkward taste TBH. Like, wait, why, why are there two Harleys?

Stay blessed [×]

1 Like

That were my first thoughts when it happened. After issue one I was hoping they wouldn’t leave it with just that. Glad they came back explained and changed her to something different.

Well, I finally finished reading this series. (I had started it quite a while ago, but I put it down and never got back to it.) Is it too presumptuous to call this the new DKR? I doubt it will have that degree of impact, but it’s possibly the most satisfying and fully-realized alternate universe since Miller’s, and it deconstructs the post-Miller Batman in much the way that Miller deconstructed the Batman that came before him. All-around excellent.

4 Likes

I think part of the newness of it was less Joker vs Batman, but Jack Napier vs Batman. It was interesting, I thought, to see what Jack was willing to do to try to show the inherent corruption around Batman while corrupting himself in the process, trying to destroy each other to the point where they almost allow Gotham to be destroyed in the process.

I agree that’s definitely one of the unique things about this book, that it kind of addresses those critical aspects, but in a way that allows our heroes to still be that – just humans who are prone to error, like everyone else.

Yeah, the Freeze stuff was great. For anyone who doesn’t know, Murphy did actually flesh out that backstory in a one-shot between issues of Curse of the White Knight called “Batman: White Knight Presents Von Freeze,” written by him and drawn by Klaus Janson. Hopefully it and Curse makes it to the service soon. :smiley:

I also wasn’t into the whole “two Harleys” thing. I thought it was just a comic version of the more trite and misogynistic arguments about more recent takes on Harley that basically devolves into “this isn’t real Harley because she dresses like a hooker.” But Murphy proved me wrong, and he did some really interesting character work with that other Harley.

Oh yes, oh HELL yes. :smiley:

I’ll second that as well. It’s very similar to White Knight in that it plays a lot with controversial issues, but in a way that is humanistic. You can see how the author leans towards one perspective, but he doesn’t make the one’s he’s against all evil all the time.

4 Likes

I read this as it came out, and quite like it. I think it’s a really good “elseworlds” take on Batman.

I liked how Batgirl was the voice of reason, and the two Harleys. I’m not sure that there was anything that I just didn’t like.

I would love to find out more about Nightwing’s history since he wasn’t the first Robin, and more about some of the villains like Mad Hatter.

3 Likes

I really enjoyed the book! I wasn’t aware of much of the hype, honestly, and I went in not knowing at all what it was about.

I thought the characters were really layered and Murphy did a good job of exploring their emotions.

Would I be alone in imagining a movie adaptation (or HBO Max miniseries) in which they can tell the White Knight story, and have it starring…Jared Leto?

5 Likes

Absolutely! That would be a very cool way to adapt it. Hadn’t thought of Leto but he is a great actor and some odd tattoo choices aside he did some good stuff in Suicide Squad, what little we did see (#releasetheayercut).

Speaking of possibly redemptive casting with a film adaptation, I had the idea for a while that an interesting choice to play the older, Germanic Mister Freeze would be Arnold Schwarzenegger. Given the right direction, I think he could pull it off.

5 Likes

I would love to see this adapted to film or tv. Leto might not have been the first to come to mind but he is a good actor and honestly I’d be okay with giving him another go. He didn’t really get a chance and apparently most of his stuff was cut out.

3 Likes
  1. I happen stanced upon it a year or more ago at my local comic book shop. It was most likely around the time the newest run was about to be released. The writing, the art, the feel of the pages. Top Notch!

  2. I was mesmerized by the idea of this version. While I thoroughly enjoy digging deeper into the Jokers “core” mythologies, this took us into something evermore tantalizing. It’s was the ride I was thrilled that I had the luck to hop on & I would jump wholeheartedly onto it again. I loved it all! Super!

  3. I am actually overjoyed with the anticipation of being completely knocked off my feet delighted by the mere idea of experiencing the amazing twists & turns that this super creative creates. Outstanding!

As a side note, as someone that has only recently began to notice that modern era artists & writers are actual people. That it might not harm my beloved stories to learn about the person that makes it possible. Sean Murphy is 1 of the about 5 that gave me pause. To take notice of the person behind the great work of art.

2 Likes