Batman Books - Page 4

Batman: No Man's Land, Vol. 1

Bob Gale, Devin Grayson

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 42 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

One of the Best Batman Tales 5 out of 5 stars.
3 of 5 people found this review helpful.

To me, No man's Land is a little less than entrancing. I was hooked from Volume One to Five. To incumpus all the great Batman villains and heroes in one series with such importance, and will testing moments is truly epic. A definant must read for any Batman fan or even any comic fan.

Great read 4 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

Great read. I left the comic book scene right after this happened in the comics and was able to catch up easily with this graphic novel!

good Batman trade but I could use a little more Batman in the story 4 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

I would not pay 18 dollars for this book. The 12 dollar price seems more appropriate especially with free shipping. This book contains 2 different stories in the No Man's Land saga. I preferred the first story over the second but they were both enjoyable. The first story has a lot to do with the Gotham City Police Department which I liked. The second story was very much about Huntress which probably isnt a bad thing for a lot of people. I personally want to be reading about Batman in a Batman trade, not Huntress, so I didnt enjoy it as much. After reading I bought Vol. 2 and plan to see it through to Vol. 5.

Editorial Review:

"Featuring No law and a new order and Fear of faith."

Superman/Batman Vol. 4: Vengeance

Jeph Loeb

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 10 Average rating: 3.5 of 5

Jeph Loeb's swan song, thankfully 2 out of 5 stars.
3 of 3 people found this review helpful.

Up until this storyarc, I pretty much enjoyed Jeph Loeb's run on the high selling Superman/Batman series, but sadly, Loeb's final arc on the title is just loaded with plot holes and hard to understand. Vengeance finds a group called the Maximums hunting down Superman and Batman because they believe the two iconic heroes murdered one of their own. Naturally, this is not the case, and soon enough Bizarro is on the scene, along with "Batzarro" (I kid you not), the Joker, and Mr. Mxyzptlk. What happens next in Vengeance is incredibly hard to follow as Loeb appears to shift things into high gear, but things never take off. His renditions of Supes and Bats are more wooden here than ever before, and the story inconsistencies and additional appearances out of nowhere just boggle the mind. Ed McGuinness, who teamed with Loeb when Superman/Batman launched, returns to lend his pencil work with Dexter Vines on inks, may be too cartoony for some, but it's undoubtedly the highlight of this TPB. This ended up being Loeb's last arc on the title before taking work once again with Marvel, so hopefully the otherwise talented and celebrated writer has had his batteries recharged.

Editorial Review:

The original superstar team of Jeph Loeb and Ed McGuiness return for one of the most talked about storylines of the year.

The fourth volume of the enormously popular SUPERMAN/BATMAN series finds our heroes confronting a new challenge: The Maximums, a group of super-heroes closely tied to the U.S. Government. Someone has killed one of their team, and the Maximums are on the hunt for the murderer. The trouble is, there are two names on the top of their list: Superman and Batman!

Batman: No Man's Land, Vol. 5

Devin Grayson, Greg Rucka

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 6 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

Fans of Batman are lucky to get Greg Rucka--the talented, gritty young author of Keeper and Finder, among others--sharing time with their favorite licensed character in this novelization of DC's complete No Man's Land comic series. (And fans of Rucka--assuming they get around to reading this at all--will still likely hold the opinion that Atticus Kodiak could take Batman in a standup fight any day.) DC shook up Gotham--literally--in its 1999 Batman plot arc: a 7.6 earthquake rocked Gotham City, wreaking enough destruction to bring the broken, crime-ridden, runt kid-brother of Metropolis and New York to its knees. In the story line's most indulgent liberty, those fat cats in Washington decide to write off Gotham, +á la Escape from New York, blowing up the connecting bridges, mining the surrounding waterways, and signing into law the Federal Declaration of No Man's Land, which makes it a crime to even set foot in the city. The usual suspects from Arkham Asylum, Two-Face and the Penguin, the Riddler and Dr. Freeze, Poison Ivy and Mr. Zsasz, file out to begin running the show, strong-arming and manipulating the block-by-block turf battles that envelop the now-ultraviolent city. A conflicted Batman shows up fashionably late, only to find that these lunatics are the least of his worries: Lex Luthor, Superman's archfoe, has nefarious designs on Gotham too. Could this possibly get any better? Sure, No Man's Land is derivative fiction, but the appeal of Rucka--and, of course, Batman--can make this one worth the read. --Paul Hughes

Superman/Batman: The Search for Kryptonite

Michael Green, Mike Johnson

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 3 Average rating: 3.5 of 5

With friends like these... 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

After yet another perilous encounter involving the deadly substance kryptonite, Superman decides to enlist the aid of his World's Finest buddy Batman to help him ferret out the nasty and malicious element in order to hopefully get rid of his natural Achilles' heel once and for all. However these two men are about to be in for quite a revelation. Kryptonite is everywhere, from massive chunks the size of small mountains to tiny dust particles of microscopic proportions, in all of its haunting and paradoxical beauty. The sad irony not lost on Superman is that the only remnants of the revered planet of his birth are now cruelly lethal to him on his adopted home planet. Unfortunately this is just the tip of the kryptonite iceberg, as more unexpected obstacles are to follow. To their surprise, not everyone sees the value of their arduous quest, most specifically the new Aquaman and two other mysterious players, one predictable and the other undoubtedly not. Expediency can certainly make for strange bedfellows, and while this peculiar pairing may be the regrettable result of a symbiotic relationship more governed by happenstance than design, the shameful consequences are the same nonetheless. Whether or not the rationale is to safeguard the world against future possibilities of Superman going "rogue" or more pragmatic purposes, no measures are inconceivable by them to deter our intrepid heroes from accomplishing their honorable mission. The final reveal of the one astonishing adversary may come as a slight shock to some and be somewhat controversial, but the character is rarely used anyways, so some leeway and risks are warranted, especially considering their current role in the DCU. It could also pave the path for future storylines with more intricate and greater import. This trade ultimately ended up being an excellent example of illustrating how a plot that appears generic and unoriginal on the surface can be elevated above its inherent simplicity by solid and exceptional execution.

Batman: Blind Justice

Sam Hamm

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 11 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Strong Story - Very Bad Art 4 out of 5 stars.
1 of 2 people found this review helpful.

This compelling, incredibly dark Batman saga is marred only by the careless art (I didn't bother to note the illustrator's name). The original issues included special tribute pinups by various artists, none of them trying very hard. Don't know if those are in this tpb. Sam Hamm, who penned the 1989 'Batman' feature, does much better here - stronger story, characters and dialogue, plus far more Batman action! In it's own way just as good as "Killing Joke", "Year One", "Dark Knight Returns" and other 80's landmarks - only let down by the very very poor artwork.

Editorial Review:

When Bruce Wayne refuses to allow illegal mindcontrol experiments to continue at Wayne Technology, he finds himself charged with being a traitor. During the police investigation, Wayne is forced to confront memories of the various people who trained him to become the feared Dark KnightBatman. Wayne not only must clear himself, but also protect his secret and save his company from ruin. Batman screenwriter Sam Hamm makes his comic-book debut with BATMAN: BLIND JUSTICE, introducing new elements to the Batman legend including the character of Henri Ducard, played by Liam Neeson in 2005s smash film Batman Begins.

Batman: No Man's Land, Vol. 2

Greg Rucka, Bob Gale, Ian Edginton, Dennis O'Neil, Lisa Klink

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 8 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

Fans of Batman are lucky to get Greg Rucka--the talented, gritty young author of Keeper and Finder, among others--sharing time with their favorite licensed character in this novelization of DC's complete No Man's Land comic series. (And fans of Rucka--assuming they get around to reading this at all--will still likely hold the opinion that Atticus Kodiak could take Batman in a standup fight any day.) DC shook up Gotham--literally--in its 1999 Batman plot arc: a 7.6 earthquake rocked Gotham City, wreaking enough destruction to bring the broken, crime-ridden, runt kid-brother of Metropolis and New York to its knees. In the story line's most indulgent liberty, those fat cats in Washington decide to write off Gotham, +á la Escape from New York, blowing up the connecting bridges, mining the surrounding waterways, and signing into law the Federal Declaration of No Man's Land, which makes it a crime to even set foot in the city. The usual suspects from Arkham Asylum, Two-Face and the Penguin, the Riddler and Dr. Freeze, Poison Ivy and Mr. Zsasz, file out to begin running the show, strong-arming and manipulating the block-by-block turf battles that envelop the now-ultraviolent city. A conflicted Batman shows up fashionably late, only to find that these lunatics are the least of his worries: Lex Luthor, Superman's archfoe, has nefarious designs on Gotham too. Could this possibly get any better? Sure, No Man's Land is derivative fiction, but the appeal of Rucka--and, of course, Batman--can make this one worth the read. --Paul Hughes

Batman: Cataclysm (Prelude to No Man's Land)

Chuck Dixon

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 13 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Well put together 4 out of 5 stars.
12 of 12 people found this review helpful.

Batman can handle criminals. But how can he fight a Earthquake? How can he fight the natural destruction of a city?

A lot of crossovers nowadays are pathetically poorly coordinated. But Batman: Cataclysm is very well coordinated and flows pretty well. If you don't read the writing credits you wouldn't be able to tell how many different writers were involved. The main story following Batman, Oracle, Nightwing and Robin are intersepersed with vignettes starring Two-Face, Ra's al Ghul and others. One of the few week points is a vignette starring Robin is put in out of order. In it Robin, while rescuing trapped victims, says in the narrative that he hasn't found his family, but about five pages before he was reunited with his family. But most of the story flows well, and it's believable. Batman and Alfred are trapped in the Batcave well below ground. How do they get out? The Batmobile exit is blocked, the stairs up to the mansion is blocked, the access to Robin's house is blocked. So how do they get out? It's handled very clearly and as realistically as any comic book can get.

The real strong point of this story though is the artwork. Almost every comics artist can draw a decent figure but there are a sad number of artists who don't or can't draw backgrounds. But the Batman creative crew is occupied by artists who can draw buildings and scenery. As Gotham city is an essential part of the Batman mythos this probably isn't a coincidence. As such the scenes of the destroyed city are amazing and horrific. The falling skyscrapers, Wayne Manor split down the middle, rubble two stories high are all handled well, and you really feel how intense it is for these people to lose their city, their home.

I was really impressed with this work. The story continues in the No Man's Land story arc, and after reading this I definately want to go read those.

Batman: No Man's Land, Vol. 4

Greg Rucka

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 4 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

Fans of Batman are lucky to get Greg Rucka--the talented, gritty young author of Keeper and Finder, among others--sharing time with their favorite licensed character in this novelization of DC's complete No Man's Land comic series. (And fans of Rucka--assuming they get around to reading this at all--will still likely hold the opinion that Atticus Kodiak could take Batman in a standup fight any day.) DC shook up Gotham--literally--in its 1999 Batman plot arc: a 7.6 earthquake rocked Gotham City, wreaking enough destruction to bring the broken, crime-ridden, runt kid-brother of Metropolis and New York to its knees. In the story line's most indulgent liberty, those fat cats in Washington decide to write off Gotham, +á la Escape from New York, blowing up the connecting bridges, mining the surrounding waterways, and signing into law the Federal Declaration of No Man's Land, which makes it a crime to even set foot in the city. The usual suspects from Arkham Asylum, Two-Face and the Penguin, the Riddler and Dr. Freeze, Poison Ivy and Mr. Zsasz, file out to begin running the show, strong-arming and manipulating the block-by-block turf battles that envelop the now-ultraviolent city. A conflicted Batman shows up fashionably late, only to find that these lunatics are the least of his worries: Lex Luthor, Superman's archfoe, has nefarious designs on Gotham too. Could this possibly get any better? Sure, No Man's Land is derivative fiction, but the appeal of Rucka--and, of course, Batman--can make this one worth the read. --Paul Hughes

Batman: No Man's Land, Vol. 3

Greg Rucka

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 6 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

Fans of Batman are lucky to get Greg Rucka--the talented, gritty young author of Keeper and Finder, among others--sharing time with their favorite licensed character in this novelization of DC's complete No Man's Land comic series. (And fans of Rucka--assuming they get around to reading this at all--will still likely hold the opinion that Atticus Kodiak could take Batman in a standup fight any day.) DC shook up Gotham--literally--in its 1999 Batman plot arc: a 7.6 earthquake rocked Gotham City, wreaking enough destruction to bring the broken, crime-ridden, runt kid-brother of Metropolis and New York to its knees. In the story line's most indulgent liberty, those fat cats in Washington decide to write off Gotham, +á la Escape from New York, blowing up the connecting bridges, mining the surrounding waterways, and signing into law the Federal Declaration of No Man's Land, which makes it a crime to even set foot in the city. The usual suspects from Arkham Asylum, Two-Face and the Penguin, the Riddler and Dr. Freeze, Poison Ivy and Mr. Zsasz, file out to begin running the show, strong-arming and manipulating the block-by-block turf battles that envelop the now-ultraviolent city. A conflicted Batman shows up fashionably late, only to find that these lunatics are the least of his worries: Lex Luthor, Superman's archfoe, has nefarious designs on Gotham too. Could this possibly get any better? Sure, No Man's Land is derivative fiction, but the appeal of Rucka--and, of course, Batman--can make this one worth the read. --Paul Hughes

Batman: The Ultimate Guide to the Dark Knight

DK Publishing

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 20 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

A Celebration of the Modern-Day Caped Crusader 5 out of 5 stars.
12 of 12 people found this review helpful.

This book is a blast to read. I wished this book had come out sooner when I was just finding my way around the modern Batman comics. Nevertheless, better late than never.

A word of caution. If you are looking for the DEFINITIVE guide to everything Batman, I wouldn't recommend this book to you. Les Daniels' book on Batman is by far the most comprehensive treatment on the whole history of the Batman from his pre-conception in the 1930s up till the recent stuff (including his incarnations outside the comicbook - TV, toys, cinema, etc.). Also, if you're interested in analyzing Batman as a pop-culture icon, you should check out Will Brookner's "Batman Unmasked" book. Finally, if you're interested in reading a one-volume collection of the definitive Batman - I'd recommend Frank Miller's "Dark Knight Returns" and/or "Year One" along with the "The Greatest Batman Stories Ever Told".

What then is this book by Scott Beatty about? It's about the modern day Batman. THIS Batman is as different from the classic Bob Kane/Bill Finger creation as the Tim Burton movies are from the Adam West TV show. For your information, THIS Batman is the one from Frank Miller's "Year One" (1986) and it includes the later revisions by Dennis O'Neil and Chuck Dixon up to today. In other words, this is the Batman of "Knightfall", "Contagion", "Cataclysm" and "No Man's Land". And in my opinion, this is the most exciting and rich version of the Batman since his conception in 1939. This book is not so much a guide but more a celebration of this modern-day Dark Knight of the comicbooks.

The book is neatly divided into sections. The first section is about Batman/Bruce Wayne and Gotham City. The second section covers his allies and loves (Alfred, Gordon, Nightwing, Oracle, Robin II, Robin III, etc.). The third section focuses on the many colorful villains in the Bat-mythos. Finally, there's also a foreword by Chuck Dixon, the man who, under the editorial-eye of Dennis O'Neil, pretty much shaped the direction of the Bat-books throughout the 1990s. Note: Dixon also teamed up with the author Scott Beatty on some other great works like the recent "Robin: Year One" and "Batgirl: Year One".

Editorial Review:

With unparalleled access to the archives of DC Comics, Batman: the Ultimate Guide to the Dark Knight provides spectacular illustrations reveal the secret workings of key installations and equipment such as the Batcave, the Batmobile, Batman's suit, and the weaponry contained in his Utility Belt. Panoramic views of Gotham City and Arkham Asylum with its villainous inmates, allow readers to enter into Batman's world. Crucial events and characters of the Batman legend are illustrated with drawings from the original DC comic books.