Well I'm doing this tonight guy because I got to thinking about this series. and because this is the weekend of Pain let's talk about it. This is you know you love it, an Exalted Look at...All Star Batman and Robin.

Why am I doing this? Well to talk about collaboration. While It is a Frank Miller book we can't forget who is drawing it either and that is Jim Lee. You know Jim Lee.

Because let's think about the problems with this book that aren't just crazy Frank Miller. Let's look at how this series Fits what kind of Jim Lee wants out of a comic. Because guess what? He's one of the biggest artists at DC and has as much pull as Miller would.

The thing about Frank Miller is that he tends to draws on the artists he collabs with strengths. Now Let's break down what are Jim Lee's strengths? As a creator.

sorry but Jim Lee draws hot Women. In this work especially you can see Miller drawing reasons to have Sexy Woman in this. While Frank is no prude he can be subdued sometimes depending on the creator.

We can't forget the artist has as much say in the direction of a book as the writer and I imagine Jim had as much say as Miller. Why is there a sexy scene with Black Canary? Maybe it was both Miller and Lee.

I'm not here to defend Miller but thinking about this book and the issues I'm starting to look at the problems that maybe were not obvious and they trickle down take the long bat drive. This was also when Trades were becoming prominent so that explains why nothing much happens.

Think about if your making a graphic novel the approach is that single issues become less important overall. This was an era defined by padding. In Wolverine Origin there is an Infamous scene of Wolverine taking 4 pages to walk up the stairs.

So 4 issues to get to the Batcave. Like I said I imagine this was written with a trade in mind and if you compare to All Star Superman where Grant made almost every issue stand alone or just two issues it's much more dense story in themes.

Now let's talk about Jim Lee's biggest weakness as a creator. He draw great images but his storytelling chops are not the best. Pages don't tend to flow into each other well like take this. I imagine there are 10 better ways to do this one page.

Now I'm complaining about Jim Lee guy who made the highest selling comic of all time. But let's talk about Miller might have issues with his writing but he knows how to make killer pages. This is not perfect but this layout works.

Lee does look up to Miller, in fact one book might as well be a Lee tribute to Miller Deathblow. Lee actually changed his style up for this book to be more Like Miller. It didn't really set the world on fire but his Hush stuff has this influence.

There also is kind of a weird thing about Miller to note, he tired of writing Batman all the time at DC. This is one of the reasons Strikes Again was Justice League focused. Why Luthor was the bad guy. You can see a lot of the problems all coming together.

The reason I'm not coming at Miller so much here? Look a hundred and one people already did. I'm not much different but I do this for one reason, Frank Miller didn't do this book alone, sure you assign him as the major problem. But this comic is a collab.

and what does this story do?
*Panel that are like Poster art
*hot babes
*big multipage spread(Jim Loves doing these)
*shock value(both a Halmark of Lee and Miller writing)
This is a group project where everyone tried but ended up with a dud.

I always try to keep in mind artist influence because it does pop up. Plus look if you want Linkara you have his Miller time videos I'm going at this my own way!...Jim Lee is also a horny dude probably.

So we have two men at the height of there power given free reign to do what they want. You have to keep in mind Lee made a lot of comics himself too and was always trying for critical clout. This book is his attempt at a all powerful hero who is "thoughtful"

*is it good?
Well you know it exists now?
Anyway looking at it this book was meant to play to Lee Strengths, be the start of a new line of DC material, be in book stores, be Miller's return to Batman, and...wow that is a lot. I need a Simpsons meme for this.

Anyway this book didn't finish off at all. For one reason, the editor got fired. Yeah apparently the last issue is done and DC won't release it. Well damn I'm curious. Apparently Frank want to redo this as a six issue mini of his "original story"

But let's break down some weird stuff.
*Joker as yakuza
I wonder about this. I'm kind of curious what his true intentions were. Maybe this Joker breaks down or something. But whatever it I doubt we will see it.

Hmm trying to tie back in this as a Golden Age piece. One issue with this series is that this comic feels like a blender of different eras and extreming them up. I do like pointing out the Robin Hood stuff with Dick as the springboard. A little meta but works.

I could list every stupid thing but I trust you all know it.
*Yellow Room scene
*douch Superman
*Wonder Woman femnazi
*God Damn Batman
*Robin eating rats
Like seriously who hasn't read it, read a break down or watch a video on it?

Anyway this might be a good time to talk about Miller's breakdown because there are rumors and some true stuff. This is what I know but I do ask take some with a little grain of salt.

9/11 did cause a huge effect on him. He lives in New York and was there. That was a huge thing I can only imagine what something like that..no I know what that is like. Because of my Dad's job I grew up with it. It's not something that can be easy to deal with.

No I'm not saying his work is good but it's something to note with artists. He also went through a divorce. and this is the grain of sale part is a alcoholic and workaholic. The work one I least know about.

Guy also had lost all his cred in hollywood. you think Robocop 2 and 3 did that and it did but this one sank him from big time was this. SO Frank was not the best state of mind during the 2000s.

So we end up with two creators and this mess trying to make a classic book that and DC always hopes will be the next Watchmen or Sandman.

So what is the aftermath of this book? Well it Killed the All Star Line, despite All Star Superman being a classic when DC put all there money on this one shows they have that Batman blindspot.

DC made a spiritual line to the All Star idea with Earth One to mixed success? Some are good, okay or just plain why is it called this like Teen Titans. In fact Wonder Woman started in All Star and ended up in Earth One through complex development and Greg Rucka being mad.

The New 52 was spearheaded by Lee as well as Didio and Bob Harris bringing in 90's elements and Lee creations as major characters. The reason I bring this up is people should understand what Wildstorm was trying to do.

Jim Lee built Wildstorm around the idea of "real" morally complicated superheroes. His Superman the Majestic is a warrior who looks down on people and keep in mind the the Authority was created for his universe. Sleeper and other things.

Anyway when reviewing comics or a medium with multiple people working on don't just use Auteur theory, in fact if you look at comics my recommendation? BURN IT UNLESS YOU KNOW FOR A FACT THAT ONE GUY WORKED ON IT!

Because this can be a collaborative medium and those influences do seep in. In comics if you have a writer and artist be sure to talk about both. Jim Lee's art is ultimately the pacing of the comic. It's pretty but doesn't hold together. Frank you still crazy but I love DD.