Batman and the Monster Men
Encyclopedia
Batman & the Monster Men is an American
comic book
limited series
written and drawn by Matt Wagner
with colors by Dave Stewart, published by DC Comics
and starring the superhero
Batman
. It, along with its sequel Batman and the Mad Monk
, are set in between the events of Batman: Year One
and Batman: The Man Who Laughs
. It is the first part of Matt Wagner
's two part Dark Moon Rising
series, which are expanded and modernized versions of early Batman stories.
story from Batman
#1. In Wagner's version, this is Batman's first encounter with Strange. The story depicts a young, optimistic Batman shortly after the events of Batman: Year One
. Julie Madison
, historically Bruce Wayne's love interest in early comics, is reintroduced in this series. Madison had not been seen as a regular supporting cast member since 1941, in Detective Comics
#49. Batman and the Monster Men also gives a retroactive role to Sal Maroni
, a character closely tied to the character Two-Face
, as a crime-boss funding Hugo Strange's experiments on Arkham Asylum
patients. This story is intended to depict the first time Hugo Strange is involved in creating violent giants out of human patients.
take place in between Batman: Year One
and Batman: The Man Who Laughs
. Jim Gordon
has recently been promoted to Captain and Peter Grogan has just replaced the corrupt, Mob-affiliated Gillian "Gil" Loeb
as Police Commissioner.
One of Batman's early encounters with a villain known as "The Red Hood" occurs some time shortly before this story begins, indicated by the fact that a newspaper headline depicted on the opening page reads: "Red Hood Gone? Eyewitnesses claim mystery thief falls to doom after Ace Chemical heist attempt foiled by run-in with vigilante
Bat-Man". The incident at Ace Chemical, depicted as flashbacks in Batman: The Killing Joke
, transformed the Red Hood into The Joker
, who makes his first appearance in The Man Who Laughs.
Instead of being an actress as in her Golden Age incarnation, Julie is a freshly graduated law
student.
Jim Gordon is shown to still be married to his first wife, Barbara Kean-Gordon, who leaves him shortly after the events of Batman: The Long Halloween
and returns to him in Batman: Dark Victory
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
comic book
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
limited series
Limited series
A limited series is a comic book series with a set number of installments. A limited series differs from an ongoing series in that the number of issues is determined before production and it differs from a one shot in that it is composed of multiple issues....
written and drawn by Matt Wagner
Matt Wagner
Matt Wagner is an American comic book writer and artist, best known as the creator of the series Mage and Grendel.-Career:...
with colors by Dave Stewart, published by DC Comics
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
and starring the superhero
Superhero
A superhero is a type of stock character, possessing "extraordinary or superhuman powers", dedicated to protecting the public. Since the debut of the prototypical superhero Superman in 1938, stories of superheroes — ranging from brief episodic adventures to continuing years-long sagas —...
Batman
Batman
Batman is a fictional character created by the artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger. A comic book superhero, Batman first appeared in Detective Comics #27 , and since then has appeared primarily in publications by DC Comics...
. It, along with its sequel Batman and the Mad Monk
Batman and the Mad Monk
Batman and the Mad Monk is an American comic book limited series, featuring the DC Comics superhero Batman. It is set during the Batman: Year One continuity, but after the events of Batman and the Monster Men and before the events of Batman: The Man Who Laughs...
, are set in between the events of Batman: Year One
Batman: Year One
"Year One", later referred to as "Batman: Year One", is an American comic book story arc written by Frank Miller, illustrated by David Mazzucchelli, colored by Richmond Lewis, and lettered by Todd Klein...
and Batman: The Man Who Laughs
Batman: The Man Who Laughs
Batman: The Man Who Laughs is a one-shot prestige format comic book by Ed Brubaker and Doug Mahnke, released in February 2005, and intended as a successor to Batman: Year One....
. It is the first part of Matt Wagner
Matt Wagner
Matt Wagner is an American comic book writer and artist, best known as the creator of the series Mage and Grendel.-Career:...
's two part Dark Moon Rising
Batman: Dark Moon Rising
"Dark Moon Rising" is a two part comic book series written by Matt Wagner about the superhero Batman. It contains two six part mini series entitled Batman and the Monster Men and Batman and the Mad Monk...
series, which are expanded and modernized versions of early Batman stories.
Plot
Batman and the Monster Men is developed from an early Hugo StrangeHugo Strange
Professor Hugo Strange is a fictional comic book supervillain appearing in books published by DC Comics, as an adversary of Batman. He first appeared in Detective Comics #36 , and is one of Batman's first recurring villains, preceding the Joker and Catwoman by several months...
story from Batman
Batman (comic book)
Batman is an ongoing comic book series featuring the DC Comics hero of the same name. The character first appeared in Detective Comics #27, published in May 1939. Batman proved to be so popular that a self-titled ongoing comic book series began publication in the spring of 1940...
#1. In Wagner's version, this is Batman's first encounter with Strange. The story depicts a young, optimistic Batman shortly after the events of Batman: Year One
Batman: Year One
"Year One", later referred to as "Batman: Year One", is an American comic book story arc written by Frank Miller, illustrated by David Mazzucchelli, colored by Richmond Lewis, and lettered by Todd Klein...
. Julie Madison
Julie Madison
Julie Madison is a fictional character in the DC Universe, best known as Batman's first significant love interest.-Original version:Julie Madison first appeared in Detective Comics #31 only four issues after Batman's own debut...
, historically Bruce Wayne's love interest in early comics, is reintroduced in this series. Madison had not been seen as a regular supporting cast member since 1941, in Detective Comics
Detective Comics
Detective Comics is an American comic book series published monthly by DC Comics since 1937, best known for introducing the iconic superhero Batman in Detective Comics #27 . It is, along with Action Comics, the book that launched with the debut of Superman, one of the medium's signature series, and...
#49. Batman and the Monster Men also gives a retroactive role to Sal Maroni
Sal Maroni
Salvatore "The Boss" Maroni is a fictional character appearing in comic books published by DC Comics, usually as one of Batman's first enemies, and among the toughest gangsters in Gotham City...
, a character closely tied to the character Two-Face
Two-Face
Two-Face is a fictional comic book supervillain who appears in comic books published by DC Comics. and is an enemy of Batman. The character first appeared in Detective Comics #66 , and was created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger....
, as a crime-boss funding Hugo Strange's experiments on Arkham Asylum
Arkham Asylum
The Elizabeth Arkham Asylum for the Criminally Insane, commonly referred to simply as Arkham Asylum, is a fictional psychiatric hospital in the DC Comics Universe, usually appearing in stories featuring Batman...
patients. This story is intended to depict the first time Hugo Strange is involved in creating violent giants out of human patients.
Continuity
This story and its sequel, Batman and the Mad MonkBatman and the Mad Monk
Batman and the Mad Monk is an American comic book limited series, featuring the DC Comics superhero Batman. It is set during the Batman: Year One continuity, but after the events of Batman and the Monster Men and before the events of Batman: The Man Who Laughs...
take place in between Batman: Year One
Batman: Year One
"Year One", later referred to as "Batman: Year One", is an American comic book story arc written by Frank Miller, illustrated by David Mazzucchelli, colored by Richmond Lewis, and lettered by Todd Klein...
and Batman: The Man Who Laughs
Batman: The Man Who Laughs
Batman: The Man Who Laughs is a one-shot prestige format comic book by Ed Brubaker and Doug Mahnke, released in February 2005, and intended as a successor to Batman: Year One....
. Jim Gordon
James Gordon (comics)
James Worthington Gordon, Sr. is a fictional character, an ally of Batman that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in Detective Comics #27 , and was created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane...
has recently been promoted to Captain and Peter Grogan has just replaced the corrupt, Mob-affiliated Gillian "Gil" Loeb
Commissioner Gillian B. Loeb
Gillian B. Loeb is a fictional character in the DC Universe. He first appeared in Batman #404, as part of the Batman: Year One story arc.-History:...
as Police Commissioner.
One of Batman's early encounters with a villain known as "The Red Hood" occurs some time shortly before this story begins, indicated by the fact that a newspaper headline depicted on the opening page reads: "Red Hood Gone? Eyewitnesses claim mystery thief falls to doom after Ace Chemical heist attempt foiled by run-in with vigilante
Vigilante
A vigilante is a private individual who legally or illegally punishes an alleged lawbreaker, or participates in a group which metes out extralegal punishment to an alleged lawbreaker....
Bat-Man". The incident at Ace Chemical, depicted as flashbacks in Batman: The Killing Joke
Batman: The Killing Joke
Batman: The Killing Joke is an influential one-shot superhero graphic novel written by Alan Moore and drawn by Brian Bolland. First published by DC Comics in 1988, it has remained in print since then, and has also been reprinted as part of the trade paperback DC Universe: The Stories of Alan...
, transformed the Red Hood into The Joker
Joker (comics)
The Joker is a fictional character, a comic book supervillain published by DC Comics. He is the archenemy of Batman, having been directly responsible for numerous tragedies in Batman's life, including the paralysis of Barbara Gordon and the death of Jason Todd, the second Robin...
, who makes his first appearance in The Man Who Laughs.
Instead of being an actress as in her Golden Age incarnation, Julie is a freshly graduated law
Law
Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
student.
Jim Gordon is shown to still be married to his first wife, Barbara Kean-Gordon, who leaves him shortly after the events of Batman: The Long Halloween
Batman: The Long Halloween
Batman: The Long Halloween is a 13-issue comic book limited series written by Jeph Loeb with art by Tim Sale. It was originally published by DC Comics in 1996 and 1997. It was inspired by the three Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight Halloween Specials by the same creative team...
and returns to him in Batman: Dark Victory
Batman: Dark Victory
Batman: Dark Victory is a 14-part comic book limited series written by Jeph Loeb and drawn by Tim Sale. The series is a sequel to Batman: The Long Halloween and was originally published from 1999 to 2000 by DC Comics. The series takes place primarily during the third/fourth year of Batman's career...
.