A Lonely Place of Dying

[ratcreature]

I adore A Lonely Place of Dying for many reasons, for example it has some of my all time favorite Batman art. I adore the art because it uses art for storytelling to its full effect. A while ago, in this post to scans_daily I posted examples for panel transitions, covers, and intercuts I really like, but another awesome effect is how we see events from Tim's viewpoint, without knowing who Tim is, and that he stalks Batman and Nightwing only because he wants the best for them.

It's incredibly creepy to see with the eyes of a stalker, to watch Batman from a distance with cameras and binoculars, to browse through a scrapbook with all those photos, something which is made even creepier because it's put inbetween the intimate scene of Alfred caring for the injured Bruce, so that even the snapshots and clippings we see get an intimate quality. For a long time we only see his hands, holding binoculars, and cameras as he spies on Batman, watches Kory and the other Titans, rifling through photos and articles, opening the door to Dick's apartment even...

And it gets to me every time. I know it is Tim, I know it's not an enemy stalking them, uncovering their identities, and still it gets to me, because even knowing it's Tim and seeing through the "stalker's" eyes I still somehow identify with the "prey," I think, even as I reread it.

Comments

[marag.livejournal.com]

I haven't read the full storyline, but I own a couple of the issues and I agree with you--even knowing what's going on, it's still creepy and wonderful. It's the kind of activity that makes Tim the freak we know and love today.

The whole thing's been collected in trade form, right? I'm going to have to buy it. I love the bits I have, and even though I know what happens in the others, I want to own it!

[ratcreature]

Yeah, it's available as trade, still in print, and relatively cheap too, it's $5.95.

[thete1.livejournal.com]

*nod nod nod* Totally. I mean, back when I first read it I was just in "canon collecting" mode, trying to get all the info I could about that particular period so I could tailor my stories accordingly, but when I went back to *reread* it -- I think I was looking for something for Livia, though I don't remember what -- it just...

Yeah. Blows my mind. *Completely* blows my mind. One of those marvelous storylines with the kind of freaktastic (and slashy) subtext that I sincerely doubt was entirely intentional, but which adds a richness and *mmph* to the Batman mythos that is, to me, absolutely priceless -- and necessary.

The fact that Lonely Place is just one of the many storylines that give us that is yet one more reason why I love my fandom. :D