CBI Archive
Peter Milligan + Batman = Comics You Should Own
Tuesday, June 13th, 2006 at 12:19 PM EST
Updated: Tuesday, June 13th, 2006 at 2:12 PM EST
My latest Comics You Should Own column looks at the brief and strange run by Peter Milligan as the “regular” writer of Detective Comics. By “regular,” of course, I mean that he wrote a few issues, took some time off, wrote a crossover with Batman that I don’t think is that worthy, and finally decided he couldn’t be the regular writer. But his few issues are really excellent comics, unlike almost anything we’ve seen from the Caped Crusader. I wrote about his three-part “Dark Knight, Dark City” story from Batman a while ago, but these stories are better. Milligan always has had a problem with endings, so it’s a good thing these issues are one-and-done or in two parts. Go check out the column, if you feel like it. Seven issues of Bat-weirdness! “The Hungry Grass!” “Identity Crisis!” “Library of Souls!” And much, much more!
Since this is the first time I have directed you to one of my columns at our swanky new digs, I thought I’d list the other Comics You Should Own (according to me, of course - your opinions may vary). Someone (sorry, I can’t remember who) wondered why Animal Man wasn’t on the list. Of course, it is, just not with PCS. So an accounting is in order - from my blog way back when I started these, from Comics Should Be Good back when we weren’t big sell-outs, and at PCS. Enjoy!
300. Frank Miller tells the tale of the Spartans at Thermopylae.
1963. Alan Moore wallows in nostalgia, but it’s still brilliant!
Alias. Bendis at the top of his game.
Amazing Spider-Man #229-230. Spidey battles the Juggernaut!
Amazing Spider-Man #238-251. The first Hobgoblin story. Back when he was cool.
Animal Man. Not only Morrison’s take, but Milligan’s weird six-issue story that came after.
Arrowsmith. Busiek and Pacheco and alternate history and magic!
Atlantis Chronicles. Peter David tells the history of the sunken city.
Aquaman #0-25. Peter David’s issues. Some people disagreed. They are wrong.
The Authority #22-29. Mark Millar destroys the team, and Tom Peyer creates a new one!
Automatic Kafka. Lots o’ strangeness from Casey and Wood!
Avengers Annual #10. The first appearance of Rogue. ‘Nuff said.
Avengers Forever. Busiek and Pacheco somehow reconcile all of Avengers history.
Aztek the Ultimate Man. Morrison and Millar and a very weird superhero.
Batman #452-454. “Dark Knight, Dark City.” The Riddler goes freaky.
Batman #515-552. Doug Moench and Kelley Jones. Cronin thinks they’re pretentious, and they are, but they had a good reason - these are good comics.
Big Numbers. Alan Moore and Bill Sienkiewicz’s unfinished masterpiece.
Camelot 3000. Mike W. Barr and Brian Bolland bring us King Arthur in the future!
Challengers of the Unknown. Jeph Loeb and Time Sale for the first (and best) time.
ClanDestine. Alan Davis writes and draws a doomed series.
The Crow. Back in print! Buy it now if you don’t have it!
Daredevil #283-300. Nocenti and then Chichester writing, with very nice Lee Weeks pencils.
Daredevil #26-50; 56-81. The Bendis/Maleev era.
Defenders #46-50. Who remembers Scorpio?
Detective #471-476. Englehart/Rogers/Austin. Brilliant even after 30 years.
Detective #569-574. Barr and Davis. Beautiful to look at, nice Silver Age feel without being too goofy.
Detective #583-594; 601-614. Alan Grant, John Wagner, Norm Breyfogle. Excellent short stories, lots of new and cool villains.
Anyway, thanks to all for reading. I love doing these, because it’s fun to revisit old comics and turn people on to things they might not know about.
10 Comments
Peter Hensel
June 13, 2006 at 2:09 pm
Right After your post on Nocenti’s and Chichester’s Daredevil I had my heart set out to buy it, and luckily I was able to pick up a set of the run for 50 cents per each issue. After reading them, I woulda gladly paid more, becuase they are completely awesome! Thanks Greg!
Cheeseburger
June 13, 2006 at 2:13 pm
What does PCS stand for?
Bill Reed
June 13, 2006 at 2:20 pm
PopCultureShock, I presume, ‘Burger.
Yeah, Milligan’s issues of Batman and ‘Tec are some of my very favorites, though I’m missing a few; half of the Idiot Root, the last part of Dark Knight/Dark City, and this Bomb story that I’d never even heard of before. But the rest of them are indeed Good Milligan and brilliant at times. I don’t think I paid more than a quarter for any of them (aside from Library of Souls, which I went and hunted down the week of Jim Aparo’s death).
They’re just damn good Batman stories.
Also, the “Identity Crisis” issue was later morphed into an episode of the animated series, only with a completely different twist ending involving the Mad Hatter and some crazy machine.
Greg Burgas
June 13, 2006 at 3:21 pm
Shoot. It’s PopCultureShock, Sir Cheeseburger. I was going to refer to it earlier in the post by the full name and forgot. Whoops.
But that’s not the point! Milligan and Batman!!!!!
Greg Burgas
June 13, 2006 at 3:22 pm
No problem, Peter. Always glad to help people find interesting comics.
Dizzy
June 13, 2006 at 3:55 pm
Hey, Clan Destine. Didn’t see that one on the list before. One of my favourite comics ever. (Though it got worthless when Davis left). I think it’s best that Davis ignored the last few issues for the X-Men crossover, (which I recommend you get if you liked the original series). Rory and Pandora are of the few children in comics who are not annoying. (And to the point raised that we should ignore the Silver Surfer just happening to find Adam in the middle of space. As Adam says: “It’s destiny.” And for an Adam of Destine that’s a tangible force.)
FunkyGreenJerusalem
June 15, 2006 at 7:16 am
I’ve hit e-bay and are looking for those issues.
One Batman comic I would reccomend everybody owning is Legends Of The Dark Knight #64.
It’s a stand alone story written by Jamie Delano and drawn by Chris Bachelo.
It’s brilliant stuff, oozing in atmosphere.
It’s told from the POV of a run down building in Gotham, that narrates the stories of it’s tenenants, who are all hiding from somthing - either due to fear, or due to somthing they have done. And Batman shows up chasing someone. (it’s been a while since I read it - reading about those Milligan issues put it in my mind).
That probably doesn’t do it justice, but it’s definetly one of the best Batman stories I’ve ever read.
Greg Burgas
June 15, 2006 at 7:31 am
Yeah, FGJ, that is a good one. “Terminus,” I believe it was called (I can flash comic book knowledge like Cronin occasionally). Before Bachalo got really weird.
Javier
October 18, 2006 at 8:57 pm
Hi. Does anyone know who did the covers on Milligans run of Detective? They are some of my favourites.
Brian Cronin
October 18, 2006 at 9:30 pm
They were almost all done by either the great Michael Golden or the great George Pratt.
Some heavy duty talent on those covers!!
Scott Hampton and Denys Cowan each drew one cover apiece (towards the end of his run), and Norm Breyfogle drew two covers when Detective crossed over with Batman for “The Idiot Root.”