Who wrote the novelization?

It was Keith R. A. DeCandido.

The offending Batman #644 pages.

I got nothing. I cannot wank in the face of those panels. It makes no sense. Willingham, DC, whoever -- CRACK ADDLED.

eta: Willingham's response to the responses

Though we generally hope readers will like our stories, hating them is almost as good.

Huh. Here's Willingham's own post in reponse at Fabletown.com. He's a prick.

xpost.

*********

Yes, deliberately withholding treatment, except in the context of a legitimate triage decision, is quite the unequivocal violation of the Hippocratic oath. In a court of law one could reasonably expect to be found guilty of murder.

Seems like Leslie snapped. Seems like Batman doesn't like her much anymore (though he still couldn't bring himself to be the one who brought her in).

After this issue came out, I took a rare tour of other message boards to try to gauge what the general reaction might be. As expected, it was overwhelmingly negative, with lots of "how dare Willingham do this!" What I didn't expect is how much message traffic this book would generate. Message boards that might have one or two regulars post every few days, or so, suddenly exploded with five and six pages of new messages per day.

Here's something you readers need to realize: Though we generally hope readers will like our stories, hating them is almost as good. Hating them so much that yours is the one book everyone is talking about now -- well that's golden. One can't hate without passion and involvement. The one reaction we most fear is indifference.

Yes, I'm a little put out by the (at least three and counting) reputedly male readers who posted testimony that they wept after reading this issue (one claiming it was for the loss of innocence). Not that I believe they actually did. But I'm still from an early enough American generation to find men claiming to act like overly dramatic little girls just a little bit cringe-making.

And of course there were scores of those claiming that this incident was the last straw and they're giving up my books, or the Bat books, or all comic books, forever. Here's a splash of water for everyone who ever has or ever will make such an hysterical claim on a message board: We never believe you. If you're the type to indulge in "how dare they do that!" we know you'll always be back for further outrages. Those addicted to indignation need constant indignation feeding.

But, that aside, all is good. Feel free to blame me for ruining Batman. I could claim that editorial mandates were in force here and thereby split the blame a bit, but I think this time I won't. I willingly took the job, and I'm too greedy to want to share the credit this time.

How do you like them apples?

Did this come out last week? If so, you need to whitefont the first two paragraphs, Hec.

Yes.

Huh. Here's Willingham's own post in reponse at Fabletown.com. He's a prick.

This would be why I've avoided most of his work like the plague since Elementals. Bad writers can occasionally get better, but hateful writers with contempt for their readers and the work of the writers that preceded them never do.

Wow.

And if even half of those Infinite Crisis spoilers in that LJ thread turn out to be true... I've never seen a company go to such great lengths to piss off their customers before.

Is it possible for them to put Batgirl in a little continuity bubble so I can keep reading? I like other DC titles, but that's the one I love.

And now I'm going to be looking angrily at my Fables.

I suppose I should abandon my practice of buying Days of Vengeance to point and laugh mockingly, as DC's impression is that I like it enough to keep buying.

This:

But I'm still from an early enough American generation to find men claiming to act like overly dramatic little girls just a little bit cringe-making.

Continues to chafe my snatch.

I'm trying to figure out the Ultimate Combo of Offense. Right now, I've got Willingham writing, Byrne drawing... who else do I need to add?