This is "From a Different Point of View," a feature where I discuss a comic book series with other people. This time around, due to everyone having to self-isolate, I figured I'd do a special edition where I discuss some crossovers with whichever readers that wanted to chat about them! We started off with Marvel's original Secret Wars and now we're doing Knightfall!

When last we checked in Knightfall, we were discussing Batman #499, Knightfall Chapter 17, "The Venom Connection," by Doug Moench, Jim Aparo and Scott Hanna, with colors by Adrienne Roy and letters by Ken Bruzenak. Bane has broken Batman's back. Alfred and Robin come up with the idea of faking a car accident to explain Bruce Wayne's back injury. They then bring in Doctor Shondra Kinsolving, who is an expert in spinal injuries and recently had done wonders with Robin's father, Jack Drake, after he suffered a bad injury. She is in love with Bruce. He plans to settle down with her now that he can no longer be Batman. He tells Robin to give Jean-Paul Valley the job of Batman.

In their first team-up as the new Batman and Robin, though, Robin saw that Jean-Paul was a TERRIBLE fit for the job, as he instantly went psycho. Meanwhile, Shondra and Jack Drake were kidnapped and Bruce couldn't save them. Robin, meanwhile, is very concerned about Jean-Paul as Batman but won't TELL anyone. As we continue with Batman #499, we see that Jean-Paul is about to get even weirder...

Before that, Flavio Sette wanted to make a note about the cover, "I kinda feel like Kelley Jones' take on the gauntlets is more evocative, but it does just straight up look like it should be part of a bad guy's costume." I replied, "This cover always made me think that Bruce Wayne had a mullet. It always seems super 90s to me for that reason. When it's really just shadows."

After Bruce and Alfred leave him alone in the Bat-Cave, Jean-Paul goes into a trance and starts designing something.

I wondered, "Was 'The System' allowing Jean-Paul to design cool shit always part of his deal? I forget if that was in Sword of Azrael or not." Flavio replied, "I don’t think so." I continued, "Because if not, it's an awfully funny coincidence now." Flavio replied, "Design AND build cool shit, mind you." I noted, "Yeah, and I love how he even hangs a bit of a lantern on it. 'Huh, if I can design cool shit while in a trance, maybe I can build it, too!'" Flavio replied, "Between automatic writing and laying-on of hands, this is as New Age-y as a Batman arc gets. Maybe Shondra should've used healing crystals on Bruce too!" I joked, "I love the adorable Batman logo thrown into the middle of the design sheet." Sean joked, "Oh, I thought it was monogrammed stationary, lol"

I continued, "The gloves are just so hilariously stupid. Who could ever think that big metal claws were an improvement? 'Quick, Batman, you need to catch the baby falling from the window!' 'Got 'em!' 'Batman, you just sliced the baby's head off with your stupid metal claws!'" Sean joked, "Batman Scissorhands." I replied, "It really IS Batman Scissorhands. It's so stupid." Flavio joked, "Imagine Jean Paul forgets to take off the gauntlets before picking his nose." I added, "And Tim thinks it wasn't a mistake to himself but then says it is IS a mistake to the crazy killer they've got as Batman now? I hope that the System is also writing Jean-Paul's dialogue. As otherwise, 'We need to put fires out!' 'I put thugs and monsters out!' needs some work, Jean-Paul."

I noted, "It's nice to see Jean-Paul beat up Bane's goons easily. Although how messed up was him slicing the bird's wing off?" Sean replied, "That bird had it coming. Even Bruce would be like, 'Fuck that bird.'” Flavio theorized, "I think he just broke the falcon's wing. Although the sound fx does seem to be a slashing sound. It's a little unclear from the art." Sean noted, "Bane’s henchman proving that 'Tire a guy out for months first' is really their only viable battle plan." Flavio replied, "I'm not sure what we're supposed to make of this fight scene. On the one hand, Bird beat Robin, so I guess he's supposed to be more of a threat than Tim, and Jean Paul did fight the three of them all at once while Bruce took them one at a time, and they didn't even get so much as one shot in this time." I agreed, "Yeah, I think the Bird/Robin fight really doesn't track in retrospect." Sean added, "It always felt a little off to me. Like, I know Tim was never super fighter guy, but still." I replied, "Yeah, dude really almost killed Robin." Flavio wondered, "So what does it mean? Is Jean Paul supposed to be better than Bruce (although obviously the state he was in already makes it hard to compare their performances here)? Even if that's not the case, is this is supposed to be an impressive feat?" I guessed, "I think it's supposed to suggest that if Bruce was willing to just shoot blades at people, he could win more fights easier. But it would be at the cost of him using extreme violence. Instead of, you know, the 'approved' level of violence." Sean added, " I think we are meant to see it as Batman 'leveling up' to an extent." continued, "And this is really where O'Neil's whole comparison sort of falls apart. Because, as we've all noticed, it's not like Bruce is a sweet old lady out there. Yes, Bruce isn't a psycho like Jean-Paul. But that's not really a fair comparison, right?"

I noted, "I am torn on the kid gloves joke. It's SO ON THE NOSE. But it IS pretty funny. So I think I'll give it to Moench." Flavio replied, "I think Jean Paul was full of shit here." Flavio added, "Moench re-uses the joke on Batman #500." I replied to Flavio's initial point, "I think you're right, Flavio, but I do think that Jean-Paul, at this point, probably thinks he can still work with Robin." Flavio disagreed, "I don't think Jean Paul cared about the kids, he just wanted Tim off his back. And to make that kid gloves joke he practiced in front of the mirror."

Next time, we see how Bruce Wayne was written out of Knightfall!