decoyelite's Batman #23.1 - Time to Monkey Shine review

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    • decoyelite has written a total of 36 reviews. The last one was for City of Fear
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    Monkey business

    I am bad about spoiling things so I'm warning you now. Anyway I'm checking out all the villain month comics so let's see if the clown price of crime stands up strong compared to the other various rogues.

    The Good:

    The Joker does seem pretty Jokerish in this one and the plan certainly feels like the sort of thing the Joker would do. It's pretty silly all around, but I actually like that. The art is pretty solid with some little exceptions.

    The Bad:

    So the Joker gets a new origin in this one and it's quite frankly terrible. A ridiculously over the top abusive childhood is just too overdone for my taste and it's really taken to extreme levels here without adding any good twists to the formula. Honestly it doesn't really add anything to the character and it doesn't give an interesting view of The Joker. There's also the problem of the faces in this comic, for whatever reason there's just a lot of bizarre expressions in this issue that puzzle me. For instance there's a bit where a man is pleading for his life and he's just got the more bored expression on his face. It's jarring and it completely takes away from the scene's intended tone. Another problem is this issue doesn't really go anywhere, it doesn't run with the origin thing, the actual story has no impact on any character, and it just sort of ends. I wouldn't mind if the one off story was entertaining enough but most of it falls flat.

    Overall:

    I didn't like this one very much. I honestly considered giving it a 1 star but I decided to save those for when things start really going south. If you're a Joker fan I wouldn't recommend this one unless you're reading to read it with a grain of salt or two. Bat fans have nothing to see here and it doesn't add into any books so there's nothing to keep up with. But I guess if you really must see Joker dress up a monkey then there's finally a comic for you.

    26 Comments

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    johnkmccubbin91

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    @decoyelite: That is probably the case, and if the second part is true I'm glad I got the normal ones.

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    DecoyElite

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    @johnkmccubbin91: Yeah apparently DC didn't make as many as vendors needed or something like that.

    I've also heard a rumor that some of the covers are actually melting.

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    johnkmccubbin91

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    @decoyelite: That's good. I have been annoyed at the prices some bits charge for the 3D covers, as it's much more that I would have expected.

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    DecoyElite

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    @johnkmccubbin91: Yeah I'm getting them all, luckily I have the extra cash around and I'm getting it digital so I don't need to worry about 3D covers costing way more or anything like that.

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    johnkmccubbin91

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    @decoyelite: That's a great idea. Are you getting all of the issues? I personally wouldn't be able to afford every one on top of my other series from Marvel and Image but I sure as hell would love to be able to, and if you're reviewing every issue that's brilliant, as it gives one persons insight on the entire concept rather than just bits and bobs.

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    DecoyElite

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    Edited By DecoyElite

    @johnkmccubbin91: Yeah, I wouldn't have gotten this issue if it weren't for my "project" which you may have noticed. I'm reviewing all the villain month issues as I'm not a New 52 reader and thus I think I can properly evaluate how good a job they do at bringing in new readers.

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    johnkmccubbin91

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    @decoyelite: Exactly. I do however look at the rating of some to see how good they are, or read ones for comics that I'm not sure whether to get or not. Noticed that you have done a lot for villains month this week though.

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    DecoyElite

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    @johnkmccubbin91: Yeah I tend to do the same with comics I review. Don't want to read reviews before hand because it colors my perspective.

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    johnkmccubbin91

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    Edited By johnkmccubbin91

    @decoyelite: No problem. I will also be reading your other reviews later once I've read the comics myself.

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    DecoyElite

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    Edited By DecoyElite
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    johnkmccubbin91

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    Edited By johnkmccubbin91

    Great review, and I totally agreed with you.

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    Crimson_Vigilante

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    @decoyelite: Either way, theres one less circus act in the world.

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    DecoyElite

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    @crimson_vigilante: Apparently Lobo won't look like the redesign DC released. Although I don't know if the story will be a parody or not.

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    Crimson_Vigilante

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    @decoyelite: Oh, I did. I did more than just punch when I saw what the did lobo, I cut someone's ears off. He was tightrope walker, too! Sucks to be him....

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    DecoyElite

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    @decoyelite: I wanted to cut my own face off after reading what they did to him in new 52. I eneded up punching a guy. I spent they day in prison......

    Only a day? Punch harder next time.

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    Crimson_Vigilante

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    @decoyelite: I wanted to cut my own face off after reading what they did to him in new 52. I eneded up punching a guy. I spent they day in prison......

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    DecoyElite

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    No, but I didn't plan on it. I was just dissaponted they'd do something like that to the Joker..... A sad, sad day when..... I had something clever but I lost it....

    Eh, honestly it's not as bad as the whole ripping his face off and caring about his identity thing Snyder pulled. He's far more in character here even if his history is pointlessly changed. Although given it's the Joker chances are the flashbacks can be retconned into false memories.

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    Crimson_Vigilante

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    No, but I didn't plan on it. I was just dissaponted they'd do something like that to the Joker..... A sad, sad day when..... I had something clever but I lost it....

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    DecoyElite

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    Crimson_Vigilante

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    Oh......

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    DecoyElite

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    @theacidskull: Seriously what is that face even suppose to convey?

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    DecoyElite

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    looks like we agree on mostly everything. I didn't mind the faces though :P

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    Other reviews for Batman #23.1 - Time to Monkey Shine

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