BATMAN:
DEATH AND THE MAIDENS |
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Writer(s): Greg Rucka
Artist (s): Klaus Janson
and Steve Buccellato
Words by the Writer: "Often regarded
as Batman's ultimate foe, Ra's is one of those
villains whose motivations aren't really all
that terrible, it's just his methodology that
could use some refining. Ra's recognized that
the Earth was slowly dying under the burden
of an oversized and uncaring population, and
the only way to save it was to kill every
person and start over. On the downside, Ra's
was now hundreds of years old and starting
to show his mileage. Since one of the themes
of the story was about Bruce as the next generation
of the Wayne line accepting his legacy for
what it is instead of what he thought it should
be, Greg felt that Ra's having an heir to
his evil empire was in order. We could then
present a contrast between Bruce's refusal
to embrace his parents' intended legacy with
Nyssa's inability to do the same, something
that really hadn't been attempted before."
-- Matt Idelson
Summary: Ra's Al Ghul is
dying. He's lived hundreds of years but he's
not immortal. The eco-terrorist knows his
days are numbered, his life's work far from
complete. Time and again the Dark Knight has
thwarted him. But now, in his final days,
a deadlier, far more secret war is revealed,
one that has raged for decades. That the woman
who stands against him once shared his life,
centuries ago, only makes the pain deeper
and more personal. A dying Ra's has no choice
but to beg Batman, his greatest nemesis, for
help. In exchange, he offers the Dark Knight
the chance of a lifetime - the ability to
speak with his dead parents. But the ability
comes with a price, and what Batman's parents
have to say to him will profoundly affect
both the main and the hero.
Personal Opinion: A dramatic
epic of the lives of Ra's Al Ghul and his
daughters Talia and Nyssa, spanning from Africa,
the Middle-East and even Germany during the
holocaust - Death and the Maidens is an elaborate
read full of shocking twists and turns. It
also gives a special insight into Thomas and
Martha Wayne's thoughts about their son. The
artwork is consistent and well illustrated. |
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BATMAN:
YEAR ONE |
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Writer(s): Frank Miller
Artist (s): David Mazzucchelli
and Richmond Lewis
Words by the Writer: "If your
only memory of Batman is that of Adam West
and Burt Ward exchanging camped-out quips
while clobbering slumming guest stars Vincent
Price and Cesar Romero, I hope this book will
come as a surprise." -- Frank Miller
Summary: The story of
Bruce Wayne's transformation into the Dark
Knight, Lieutenant James Gordon's commencement
of work in Gotham PD, and the friendship made
between the vigilante and the cop.
Personal Opinion: Told a
million times, yet never adequately in detail.
The novel brings the reader through the emotions
of both Bruce Wayne and James Gordon as they
struggle for justice in their own personal
way, and find a friend in each other. I was
surprised that Catwoman was portrayed as a
dominatrix African-American, but it is surprisingly
easy to accept her as such. This tale has
gained favour by thousands of bat-fans around
the world, it has widely been accepted as
an accurate re-telling of Bruce's past. The
artwork is simple but illustory. |
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BATMAN:
TALES OF THE DEMON |
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Writer(s): Dennis O' Neil
Artist (s): Bob Brown, Dick
Giordano, Neal Adams, Irv Novick, Michael
Golden, Don Newton and Dan Adkins.
Words by the Writer: "While the
standard villians confined their activities
to robbery, revenge and the like, Ra's schemes
were at once more ambitious and more nebulous.
He hinted darkly at a "new world order," and
his encounters with Batman often seemed only
marginally relevant to an infinitely larger
master plan. The Darknight detective often
found himself a pawn in some dimly-perceived
game of intrigue and conspiracy, played out
across continents, the participants shadowy
factions whose ultimate goals we would never
discern." -- Sam Hamm
11 Stories: Into the Den of the Death
Dealers, Daughter of the Demon, Swamp Sinister,
Vengeance for a Dead Man, Bruce Wayne--Rest
in Peace!, The Lazarus Pit!, The Demon Lives
Again!, I now Pronunce you Batman and Wife!,
The Vengeance Vow!, Where Strike the Assassins
and Requiem for a Martyr
Personal Opinion: The stories get
a bit predictable after time. But the drawings
are energetic. Talia and Batman's relationship
is explored much in this book. |
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BATMAN:
PRODIGAL |
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Writer(s): Chuck Dixon, Doug
Moench and Alan Grant
Artist (s):
Bret Belvins Mike Gustovich, Phil Jimenez,
Mark D. Bright, Ron Wagner, Graham Nolan,
Lee Weeks and John Cleary
Summary: Bruce Wayne is Batman no
more, and there is only one man who can take
up the mantle of the Bat - Dick Grayson. Batman's
first partner. The mantle of the Bat comes
with a heavy price, however, as Dick must
not only confront the bitter memory of his
greatest failure as Robin, but stop it from
happening again.
Personal Opinion: Pleasant
artwork, interesting story. There's nobody
else whom bat-fans would rather see as Batman
than Dick Grayson, so it's been a pleasing
read to see him in the mantle of the bat,
even if it is temporarily. It is at points
emotional and yet hilarious - and it also
portrays a deeper side of Dick Grayson that
shows fear and disappointment. |
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BATMAN:
A DEATH IN THE FAMILY |
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Writer(s): Jim Starlin
Artist (s): Jim Aparo
Words by the Writer: "At
least a dozen times I've had to protest, "We
didn't kill the Boy Wonder. The readers did.""
-- Dennis O' Neil
Summary:
Jason Todd, the second Robin, finds
a clue to the possibility that his mother
could still be alive. Desperately, he searches
the middle east, but is this a trap? Or is
his mother really still alive? And what will
happen to the boy wonder?
Personal Opinion: Very strong
emotions involved on Batman's part, especially
on the death of Robin - a shocking turn of
events when a poll was taken by bat-fans for
Jason Todd to be eliminated. Not often do
characters in main roles perish, but that
is exactly why this novel has become a landmark
in time. A definite MUST read. |
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BATMAN:
MANBAT |
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Writer(s): Jamie Delano
Artist (s): John Bolton
Summary: Langstrom,
now a fully mutated giant "bat"
works on his test tubes to create the perfect
virus that will destroy all of mankind. He's
obsessed and stays aloof from his underground
family; his wife and two sons, whom he has
experiemented on as well and are still in
the process of mutation. Meanwhile, a free-willed
girl stumbles upon this secret and is held
captive. The Batman has to stop Langstrom
and save this girl at the same time.
Personal Opinion: One of
the best drawn pieces of all time! It is almost
as if you are watching the events unfold in
front of your eyes in photograph form. Some
else-worlds pieces make terrific storylines,
this is definitely one of them. |
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BATMAN:
DARK LEGENDS |
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Writer(s): Bryan Talbot,
Dennis O'Neil, Alan Grant, Mike Mignola and
Dan Raspler.
Artist (s):
Bryan Talbot, Bret Belvins, Arthur Ranson
and Mike Mignola.
Summary of Four Stories (Mask,
Images, Tao and Sanctum)...
1. Mask: Bruce
Wayne wakes up in a mental institution and
is told that Batman is merely a myth of
his mind. Everything he knows is put to
a strange test.
Personal Opinion: A confusing piece,
as though being trapped in a Nightmare on
Elm Street movie. Even when it makes sense
right at the end, the story still doesn't
redeem itself, much. Artwork is 'sketched'
and at times, plain gruelsome.
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2. Images: Batman's first
encounter with the Joker teaches him that
the Joker is not one to take lightly.
Personal Opinion: Artwork
is moderately good, and the Joker is as
insane as ever. It's humorous at times.
| Rating
(1-5): |
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3. Tao: Bruce Wayne recalls
his pre-Batman days in the mountains of
Tibet, when an old enemy returns to seek
revenge in him that spells death.
Personal Opinion: Terrific!
One of the most intellectual and well written
Batman stories of all time! I love the irony
left over at the end, makes you relive every
thread of the tale over and over again.
The artwork appears rough, but manages to
spell out the pictures very well.
4. Sanctum: Batman faces
death in the face; who threatens to suck
the life out of him.
Personal Opinion: Gruelsome,
evil. But Batman shines all the same when
he battles for his life. Artwork is stylistically
colorless, rather like the dark side of
the 14th century.
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THE
GREATEST BATMAN STORIES EVER TOLD |
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Writer(s): Bob Kane, Gardner
Fox, Denny O' Neil, Archie Goodwin, Rob Rozakis,
Len Wein, Alan Brennert
Artist
(s): Bob Kane, Dick Sprang, Charles
Paris, Lou Schwartz, Jerry Robinson, Tatjana
Wood, Neal Adams, Dick Giordano, Carmine Infantino,
Joe Giella, Sheldon Moldoff, Stan Kaye, Jim
Aparo, Alex Toth, Michael
Golden, Walt Simonson, Joe Staton, George
Freeman and George Roussos
Words
by the Writer: "The Batman
does what he does for himself, for his needs.
That society gains from his actions is incidental,
an added value... but not the primary reason
for his activities. And even when we're (perhaps
ever so slightly) feeling unsettled by the
dark side of the Batman's nature, we still
understand. We're not sure we wouldn't try
to do the same thing as The Batman does, if
we watched our parents being murdered."
-- Dick Giordano
26
Stories: Batman Versus the Vampire,
Pt 1, Batman Versus the Vampire, Pt 2, Dr.
Hugo Strange and the Mutant Monsters, Knights
of Knavery, 1001 Umbrellas of the Penguin,
The Origin of Batman, The Birth of Batplane
II, Operation: Escape, The Jungle Cat-Queen,
The First Batman, Origin of the Superman-Batman
team, Robin Dies at Dawn, The Blockbuster
Invasion of Gotham City, Ghost of the Killer
Skies, Half an Evil, Man-Bat Over Vegas, The
Batman Nobody Knows, Deathmask, Death Haunts
the Skies, No Hope in Crime Alley, Death Strikes
at Midnight and Three, The Deadshot Ricochet,
Bat-Mite's New York Adventure, A Caper a Day
Keeps the Batman At Bay, To Kill a Legend
and The AutoBiography of Bruce Wayne.
Personal Opinion:
The stories range from the very old (1930s),
to the campy era (1960s), to the almost present
day Batman. You can almost see the present
day Batman from the first few tales, till
the tales start to get too aimed at small
kids during the Adam West period and I feel
ridiculous reading them. However, the stories
get better by Ghost of the Killer Skies, and
though the storyline of The Batman Nobody
Knows is simple, it does prove to be interesting.
The best story in the book is the last, titled
The Autobiography of Bruce Wayne; an elseworlds
tale involving the Scarecrow where Bruce eventually
marries Selina Kyle, and finds himself. One
of the most touching pieces around, even I
found myself dabbing tears from my eyes. The
artwork isn't great during the first half,
but gets better when Neal Adams, Dick Giordano
and Jim Aparo lay their hands on it. |
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CATWOMAN:
THE CATFILE |
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Writer(s): Chuck Dixon
Artist (s): Bob Kane, Dick
Sprang, Charles Paris, Lou Schwartz, Jerry
Robinson, Tatjana Wood, Neal Adams, Dick Giordano,
Carmine Infantino, Joe Giella, Sheldon Moldoff,
Stan Kaye, Jim Aparo, Alex Toth, Michael Golden,
Walt Simonson, Joe Staton, George Freeman
and George Roussos
Words
by the Writer: "She's not
a super-hero. She's not a super-villian. Catwoman
defies categorizing and conventional wisdom.
She's one of the rare female characters who
can sell a regular title--and the only non-hero
who has her own monthly." -- Chuck
Dixon
Summary: Catwoman
is caught during one of her expliots and handed
to a corrupt secret government agency, blackmailing
her to do them a small favor: to steal for
them or die. Thrust into a world of international
political intrigue, she must solve two major
problems--one: survive the mission, and two:
extricate herself from a no-win situation.
Personal Opinion: Hilarious
and adventurous at the same time! Often being
categorized as a villian, this is one of the
times we see her as a victim instead. The
artwork is very eye-catching and fun. And
the story is very readable, hilarious and
exciting. Excellent piece to kick back and
relax. |
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BATMAN:
DARK KNIGHT DYNASTY |
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Writer(s): Mike W. Barr,
Scott Hampton, Gary Frank, Cam Smith, Scott
McDaniel and Bill Sienkiewicz
Artist
(s): Scott Hampton, Gary Frank, Ian
Hannin Alex Bleyaert, Robert Ro and Cam Smith
Summary: An elseworlds
tale featuring two Bat-men and one Batwoman
battling Vandal Savage and his minions, Cat-woman
and the Scarecrone, in an heroic saga spanning
three millennia.
Personal
Opinion: Vandal Savage is seen as
an invincible immortal, spanning generations,
and it takes a woman to finally get rid of
him... even if 'getting rid' of him means
only sending him away on a rock. There are
aliens in the 13th century, and in the future,
Robin is a chimpanzee. Well... the storyline
is a little too weird for my tastes, in both
Dark Past and Future. But I must give credit
to Dark Present in being passable, both in
storyline and artwork. |
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(1-5): |
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BATMAN:
THE LAST ARKHAM |
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Writer(s): Alan Grant
Artist (s): Norm Breyfogle
Words by the Writer:
"You ripped this off from Silence
of the Lambs!" he accused... I pointed
out that I'd neither read Thomas Harris's
book nor seen Jonathan Demme's film version...
"So what about the villains, Mr. Zsasz?
Where did he come from?" Another of the
books I read in that college library, The
Myth of Mental Illness, by Thomas M. Szasz.
Note the similarity in name?" -- Alan
Grant.
Summary: To
the ordinary man, maybe, the way he courts
danger and death. But those close to him know
that every risk is measured, every danger
carefully weighed. He's crazy like a fox is
crazy. As for insane - deranged enough to
kill a cop - Not Batman. Not Ever. But here
Batman is... in Arkham Asylum... as a patient.
How did it happen?
Personal Opinion: Batman
is arrested and placed in Arkham Asylum. Wrongly
accused by the public, and abused by the egomanic
owner of Arkham, he seeks a path of escape.
It's one of the rare times you see Batman
helpless and bullied, and even rarer, as a
patient of arkham! Plus the plot twists at
the end really make you smack your forehead
and ask, "Why didn't I think of that?"
Intelligent, humorous and shares an incredible
similarity to Silence of the Lambs. Excellent
piece of work bundled with acceptably well
illustrated artwork. |
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BATMAN:
SON OF THE DEMON |
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Writer(s): Mike W. Barr
Artist (s): Jerry Bingham
Summary: An elseworlds
tale wherein Batman cooperates to bring down
Qayin; the killer of Talia's mother, who is
now out to destroy Ra's himself. And at the
same time, Batman is bethrothed to Talia who
becomes pregnant with his child.
Personal Opinion: The first
time, or only time, you'll see Batman with
the radiance of a 'to-be-father', and act
like any regular concerned husband... almost.
Rather clever storyline, plus a little surprise
at the end. Character artwork is consistant
and Talia is illustrated very beautifully.
One of the 'better' elseworlds pieces out
there! |
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BATMAN:
THE CHALICE |
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Writer(s): Chuck Dixon
Artist (s): John Van Fleet
Summary: When an enigmatic
denizen of Gotham City gives Thomas Wayne's
son an old box, it sets in motion a series
of events that shake Batman's world. Suddenly,
dark villains including "The Demon's
Head" Ra's al Ghul, the Penguin and Catwoman,
as well as dozens of mysterious mercenaries
are battling to possess the simple drinking
bowl now in
Batman's hands.
Personal Opinion: First of
all, the artwork is really strange. It is
unique - adding pen with photographs, but
yet somewhat not too pleasant. Secondly, the
story is almost cult-ish, with the story of
the holy grail bearing the blood of Jesus
Christ and of its healing powers. |
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BATMAN:
THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS |
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Writer(s): Frank Miller
Artist (s): Frank Miller
and Lynn Varley
Words by
the Writer: "... And there
was Batman himself. He was the real boss.
As he was quick to assert, Batman has a personality
and purpose all his own, a definable core.
He's neither petty nor petulant. He's no whiner;
there's not a trace of self-pity in his soul.
He's smart. He's noble. And most important,
he's big. his passions are grand. Even his
unhapiness is not depressing, but a brooding.
Wagnerian torment. And his triumphs are Olympian.
He insists." -- Frank Miller
Summary: When an enigmatic
denizen of Gotham City gives Thomas Wayne's
son an old box, it sets in motion a series
of events that shake Batman's world. Suddenly,
dark villains including "The Demon's
Head" Ra's al Ghul, the Penguin and Catwoman,
as well as dozens of mysterious mercenaries
are battling to possess the simple drinking
bowl now in
Batman's hands.
Personal Opinion: Batman
is in his 50s. He's older, weaker and shockingly
more brutal. I didn't enjoy DKR as much as
many others have (it has become a cult-classic
in some circles), it is just hard to
accept Frank Miller's perception of an aged
Batman. The artwork is dull and sketchy. Also,
the ending presented a great shocker for me,
none too appreciated. |
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BATMAN:
THE KILLING JOKE |
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Writer(s): Alan Moore
Artist (s): Brian Bolland
Summary: The Joker's
origins
Personal Opinion: You finally
get to see the Joker as a victim instead of
the psychotic nightmare of a villain that
we've been exposed to. In the Killing Joke,
you learn to sympathize with him, and understand
his reasons for what he does. Though it's
become widely accepted as THE primary origin
story for the Joker - I just felt his character
was more enigmatic without an origin story. |
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BATMAN:
VENOM |
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Writer(s): Dennis O' Neil
Artist (s): Jose Garcia-Lopez
Words by the Writer:
"In a few sentences: nobody ever becomes
an addict to ruin his or her life. Addiction
always begins with a desire to be better.
Stronger. Smarter. Suaver. Richer. Braver.
More. The promise is always of less pain and
greater fulfillment and the promise is always
a lie. it's a lesson millions of people are
learning, particularly on the streets of our
cities--anagonizing, intesely human lesson,
and as such is appropriate as the theme of
a Batman story because, despite his flamboyance
and epic adventures, Batman is the most human
of the great comic heroes." -- Dennis
O' Neil
Summary: Someone
is creating a superdrug. One that will turn
a man into a superbeing with unmatchable strength.
However the drug has a side effect, and that
is creating uncontrollable rages on its master.
Batman is the only one who can stop the process
of this drug. However, unknowingly with just
a taste of the drug, the Batman becomes an
addict himself, and loses control in his obsession
for more strength.
Personal Opinion: It is at
these times you remember Batman is as human
as the rest of us, and is susceptible to weaknesses
as well. But that is his appeal - his humanity.
And this book depicts that side of Batman
brilliantly, and illlustrates his struggle
to free himself from his addiction. Very inspirational!
Wonderful graphics! Thumbs up. |
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BATMAN:
CONTAGION |
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Writer(s): Chuck Dixion,
Alan Grant, Dennis O' Neil, Doug Moench and
Christopher Priest
Artist (s):
Jim Balent, Dick Giordano, Matt Haley, Kelly
Jones, Barry Kitsox, Vince Giarrano, Mike
Wieringo, Tommy Lee Edwards, Graham Nolan
and Frank Fosco
Summary:
A deadly virus has been let out into
the streets of Gotham, and it kills as mercilessly
as it does horrifyingly. Batman has fought
nearly every type of crime, but now he has
to fight a virus to save all of Gotham, and
even the world. The Huntress, Azrael, Oracle,
Robin and even Catwoman lend a hand to find
the cure. However finding a cure is harder
than it seems. Someone is taking a lot of
trouble to kill all possible individuals who'd
survived the virus.
Personal
Opinion: Exciting, fast moving and
humorous! The interaction between Azrael,
Catwoman and the Tracker make for some of
the most fun parts of the novel. Some of the
artwork is a little too gothic, and some too
juvenile, but most of it is pleasant on the
eyes. |
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BATMAN:
LEGACY |
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Writer(s): Chuck Dixion,
Alan Grant and Doug Moench
Artist
(s): Graham Nolan, Jim Aparo, Staz
Johnson, Dave Taylor, Jim Balent and Mike
Wieringo
Words by the Writer:
"I saw then as I see now that the
Wheel is at the very center of the story you
hold in your hands. And I am into it. I'm
trying to convince an audience of my fellow
comics creators that this device is real important
to the whole continuity." -- Chuck
Dixon
Summary: The
stakes are higher than they've ever been as
Batman and his outnumbered forces race to
solve a riddle from distant past that threatens
to erase all of mankind's tomorrows. the virus.
Personal Opinion: Almost
as good as its predecessor, Contagion, but
I didn't like the fact that the virus caused
in Contagion couldn't have just been a disease,
but had to lead back to a main villain. It
would have made so much more sense if Batman
had found the virus to have been caused by
some innocent human error, or an embarassing
government secret. Villains can't be behind
all the evil in this world! But ignoring my
comment right there, the story was alright,
and Catwoman was portrayed well I think. Artwork
was as good, or even better than Contagion. |
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BATMAN:
CATACLYSM |
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Writer(s): Chuck Dixion,
Alan Grant, Devin Grayson, Doug Moench, Rick
Burchett, Claus Janson, Kelly Puckett and
Chris Renaud.
Artist (s):
Jim Aparo, Jim Balent, Eduardo Barreto, Mark
Buckingham, Klaus Janson, Stewart Johnson,
Scott McDaniel, Graham Nolan, Rick Burchett,
Alex Maleev and Chris Renaud.
Summary:
It is a foe Batman can see and hear
but cannot touch. It will strike only once
yet will change his life forever. Already
weakened by a debilitating plague, Gotham
City is struck by a devastating force of nature
- an earthquake that registers over 7.5 on
the Richter scale. In a single instant the
Batcave and Wayne manor are left in ruins.
Thousands are dead, and the Batman is among
the missing.
Personal Opinion:
The artwork was fine, except I know that heroes
should be put in real life situations to make
them 3 dimensional, but this is a little too
much of a highly dramatized 'real-life' situation.
Not only that, to add to the trouble a 'Quakemaster'
appears to mess things even worse (not to
mention the entire Wayne Manor is ruined)...
it's just too much calamity at once. In summary,
I don't see the use of masks and capes in
such a situation. Batman should be kept to
the detective work, not the civil defense
tasks. |
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BATMAN:
NIGHT CRIES |
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Writer(s): Archie Goodwin
Artist (s): Scott Hampton
Words by the Writer: "Blinded
bats move easily through complex obstacles,
but deafness leaves them helpless, unable
to find their way." -- A Guide
To Wildlife First Edition, 1990
Summary: A madman who murders
swiftly and senselessly... a decent man tormented
by what he needs to do... and a secret that
is darker and dirtier than all the rest...
Some things frighten even the Batman. Some
crimes even he can't solve...
Personal
Opinion: Like artwork on canvas,
Night Cries is as wonderfully illustrated
as titles such as ManBat. The tale of child
abuse is explored through the eyes of several
individuals including Commissioner Gordon
who burdens himself with a dark secret. Very
intriguing storyline, though mostly catered
for adult audiences. Bold and artistically
told. Bravo! |
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