Batman Detective Comics #23

Batman Detective Comics #23 was more of the Wrath storyline.  Frankly this story is getting old yet again Batman is not smart enough or quick enough to save the life of Police officers in Gotham City.  What is worse is Batman knows who the bad guy is and what he does.  Bruce Wayne cannot even beat the bad guy in his everyday man disguise.  So Bruce decides to sell Wayne Industries as a means to find out the villains evil plan.  This ends with Alfred kidnaped and the bad guy launching his attack on the city.  This story just feels so much like the long and crappy Mad Hatter story or the Court of Owls lameness.  The 2^nd story was much better though the Man-Bat story is drifting into the same old same old cliché of comic book land.  Even though the Man-Bat story is starting to lose focus and continuity it was still a better read than the main Batman story. 

Batman #21 (Zero Year)!

Batman #21 (Zero Year) – Ok that was interesting.  I am really not thrilled with the whole going back to a simpler time in Batman’s life.  Going to see when Batman was just Bruce Wayne in a bat suit.  But at least this one started out with promise – I say promise because the story starts out “Six Years Ago” with what looks like a post-apocalyptic look.  The kid fishing in the subway was a good touch.  But then we flash back again to when it is just Batman and Pennyworth doing stuff.  Bruce is still legally dead and yet some of his relatives have figured out Bruce is still alive.  There is lots of talking, lots of building up stuff that might mean nothing.  But I would rather see what happens with the Red Hood gang and why Gotham City is even more messed up than normal – so it is time for the writers to move things along now please.  Good stuff!

Batman!!

Batman #17 Death of the Family and the big climax which to this old reviewer  is just another letdown as there was nothing really new in the end.  While the characters might or might not change really this Super Mega Story was just another piece of good publicity.  The story could have been grand and it would have been amazing if the Family had actually been harmed.  I thought maybe Batman’s solution to the Joker problem was going to work.  But it was a bluff at least when we see the aftermath.  This was the chance for the New52 the Batman writers to do something new and special and instead they just reset the story which is just a typical copout that chased me away from comic books in the first place.  I am very disappointed in this story, very disappointed. 

Batman & Robin Annual!

Batman and Robin Annual #1 – A New Dark Knight Rises!  Well that was an interesting story where Damain leads Bruce Wayne on a scavenger hunt across Europe.  The story starts out typical Batman fighting someone who was not really a bad guy despite a bit of Gotham City being set on fire.  Then Bruce heads out of country and Damian takes over the family business on his own so to speak.  The little Batman manages to solve the crime and save the day from a crazy man in fiery armor.  The adventure of Bruce Wayne finding his parents past was really well done.  I was impressed with the short little stories being so well done.  It was downright cute.   This issue also managed to show how much alike the two Wayne men have turned out. 

Red Hood The Lost Days!

I just finished reading the Red Hood: the Lost Days compilation of the six issue mini-series. This is the story of the dead Robin - Jason Todd who dug his way out of his grave, was a fighting zombie for a while and then was actually brought back to life by Talia Al Ghul.  She helps Jason recover and train all the while stalling and hoping he would not actually try and kill Batman.  Jason’s training is often done by very bad men and woman.  People he eventually turns on in a non-Batman like way.  There are a number of very well written adventures and all the while Jason is slowly becoming less angry with being dead.  The final confrontation with the Joker was very interesting.  In the end the Jason settles for punishing Batman for not avenging his death.  The last scene shows his discovery of the Red Hood. This was a really good read.

It is a shame that with the new 52 reboot the Red Hood character was not allowed to keep the good parts of this story.  Red Hood and the Outlaws was just such a disappointment.

Batman and Robin!

Batman and Robin #16 (Death of the Family) well that was interesting, but seriously how long are they going to stretch out the Robin Ah Ghul VS. Batman dynamic.  The Joker did talk just a little too much but unlike what is happening in other Death of the Family stories this ending was actually clever.