Scans: Batman Odyssey 1-12
Batman Odyssey: Written and Drawn by Neal Adams
So, last year a series called Batman: Odyssey started. It was written by classic Batman artist Neal Adams, and featured what was roughly a Bronze Age style Batman and Dick Grayson as Robin. The plotting was frenetic to the point of being unhinged, as Adams used the title to explain his thoughts on hydrogen cars and why he believes the world might be hollow like a geode. Comics Alliance did a hilarious and fun review of it, and I agree with their assessment that the title was crazy but hypnotically enjoyable. But perhaps most interestingly, each issue was framed by having Bruce Wayne looking out at the reader, addressing a mysterious person.
While apparently naked.
Who...Who is Bruce speaking to? The identity of this person remained a mystery as Odyssey wound its manic path through increasing issues, and it was an intriguing mystery. As David Wolkin at Comics Alliance said, "It's unclear, but it seems Shirtless Batman is talking to the reader. Every issue opens this way, and it literally gets sexier every single time. It is as if the reader just had a one night stand with Bruce Wayne and wakes up to him telling a story on a monthly basis. 12 issues, 12 Sexy Nights with Bruce."
Now, considering where this is being posted, you may have some astonished inkling of where this is going. However, keep in mind that as the story unfolded over more than a full year, I was reading it every month full of breathless speculation. Because it couldn't be, right? Bruce simply could not be hanging out in the Batcave locking eyes in an intense stare while he tells his life story to Clark, right?
Below the cut: shirtless Bruce eats a banana while staring intently at his mysterious interviewer!
Now, it's no good trying to understand the recaps coming from Bruce's mouth, although they're worth reading, especially the later ones, for the odd sense of intimacy in them. But mostly they're going to be gibberish, as it's no good trying to recap the story of Batman: Odyssey.
Holy invasion of personal space, Sexy Bruce!
At this point, three months in, for all we can tell he's still not wearing any clothes. And then he starts eating a banana. And I'm like @_@
When the reboot happened, the story took a hiatus for a few months (leaving me to agonize that I may never find out who is watching mostly-naked Bruce eating a banana!) When it resumed, Adams' drawing style had shifted a bit, and now the interviewer was also speaking back, and drinking some coffee:
OK, it's definitely a guy. (No way, I was thinking!) I mean, he's wearing a band-aid, so probably he's not Clark, right? I shouldn't get my hopes up, right?
Awwww, darn, he's not naked! Still, wandering around shirtless is pretty impressively intimate. At this point, honestly, I thought he was talking to Neal Adams himself.
Once again, Bruce is really close to this guy!
Okay, I think we were up to about issue nine here. Nine months (more, because of the hiatus!) of not knowing who this guy was. I was giving up hope we would ever know!
"There IS a point." Okay, if you say so, Bruce!
In part 2, Bruce puts on a shirt (aw), and the identity of his interviewer is revealed (okay, you probably won't be as surprised as I was, but it was worth the wait--and I waited more than a year!)
So, last year a series called Batman: Odyssey started. It was written by classic Batman artist Neal Adams, and featured what was roughly a Bronze Age style Batman and Dick Grayson as Robin. The plotting was frenetic to the point of being unhinged, as Adams used the title to explain his thoughts on hydrogen cars and why he believes the world might be hollow like a geode. Comics Alliance did a hilarious and fun review of it, and I agree with their assessment that the title was crazy but hypnotically enjoyable. But perhaps most interestingly, each issue was framed by having Bruce Wayne looking out at the reader, addressing a mysterious person.
While apparently naked.
Who...Who is Bruce speaking to? The identity of this person remained a mystery as Odyssey wound its manic path through increasing issues, and it was an intriguing mystery. As David Wolkin at Comics Alliance said, "It's unclear, but it seems Shirtless Batman is talking to the reader. Every issue opens this way, and it literally gets sexier every single time. It is as if the reader just had a one night stand with Bruce Wayne and wakes up to him telling a story on a monthly basis. 12 issues, 12 Sexy Nights with Bruce."
Now, considering where this is being posted, you may have some astonished inkling of where this is going. However, keep in mind that as the story unfolded over more than a full year, I was reading it every month full of breathless speculation. Because it couldn't be, right? Bruce simply could not be hanging out in the Batcave locking eyes in an intense stare while he tells his life story to Clark, right?
Below the cut: shirtless Bruce eats a banana while staring intently at his mysterious interviewer!
Now, it's no good trying to understand the recaps coming from Bruce's mouth, although they're worth reading, especially the later ones, for the odd sense of intimacy in them. But mostly they're going to be gibberish, as it's no good trying to recap the story of Batman: Odyssey.
Holy invasion of personal space, Sexy Bruce!
At this point, three months in, for all we can tell he's still not wearing any clothes. And then he starts eating a banana. And I'm like @_@
When the reboot happened, the story took a hiatus for a few months (leaving me to agonize that I may never find out who is watching mostly-naked Bruce eating a banana!) When it resumed, Adams' drawing style had shifted a bit, and now the interviewer was also speaking back, and drinking some coffee:
OK, it's definitely a guy. (No way, I was thinking!) I mean, he's wearing a band-aid, so probably he's not Clark, right? I shouldn't get my hopes up, right?
Awwww, darn, he's not naked! Still, wandering around shirtless is pretty impressively intimate. At this point, honestly, I thought he was talking to Neal Adams himself.
Once again, Bruce is really close to this guy!
Okay, I think we were up to about issue nine here. Nine months (more, because of the hiatus!) of not knowing who this guy was. I was giving up hope we would ever know!
"There IS a point." Okay, if you say so, Bruce!
In part 2, Bruce puts on a shirt (aw), and the identity of his interviewer is revealed (okay, you probably won't be as surprised as I was, but it was worth the wait--and I waited more than a year!)