Grant Morrison's Batman Hurts My Brain

Like 99% of the internet, I love Batman.  The guy's been around for so long he's practically mythology, and most modern day writers have to come to terms with the fact that they will never make a character as cool as Batman.

But after 70 years of comics, movies, and TV shows, it's hard to wonder just how much more they can do with this guy.  How many Batman stories could there possibly be?  Enter Grant Morrison, a man who probably consumes more acid than an entire 60's rock band.  The man brought back almost every piece of forgotten continuity, gave Batman a son, then "killed" our hero and had Batman fight his way through history before saving the world and creating an entire army of Batmen.  The whole thing is so confusing, TV tropes gave it a page all to itself.

So it's one thing to shake up continuity.  We get it.  That's not what separates Morrison's Batman from so many other titles that go retcon-happy.  Oh no.  The whole thing is layered with ridiculously complex symbolism, multiple non-linear narratives, foreshadowing, references, and even time travel that will make your head spin.  And some guy called Mr. Pyg who is easily the most disturbed Batman villain of all time, making even the Joker look positively sane.  Yet somehow, it works.  I hated the first two arcs of his material I read.  I've been following Batman my whole life, but even I couldn't understand half of what he was referencing or alluding to.  As you read more of it, you see just how meticulously planned and structured this saga is.  Morrison doesn't write comics you can read just once and understand.  The final issue of "The Return of Bruce Wayne" is the best example of this, where multiple storylines seem to converge in the space of just a few panels.

That being said, there are still plenty of moments that are crazyawesome regardless of how intensely you've been following the series.  Like Pirate Batman.  Or Bruce being buried alive, then bench pressing the lid of the coffin and hundreds of pounds of dirt on top of it to reach freedom.  Or a hallucinating, tripped out Batman.  Or a villain's meticulous, evil plan almost coming to fruition, only to realize that Batman had already foiled his plan hundreds of years in the past.  And did I mention Pirate Batman?

And now the big question: would I recommend Grant Morrison's Batman?  Yes and no.  If you don't feel like putting in the energy to figuring it out, then stay the hell away from it.  But if you want a challenge and plan on starting from the beginning of Morrison's run, then you might find a completely fresh look on comic's most iconic character.