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helpfulsnowman's review
4.0
These are good stories, but holy shit, why would you have events as big as A Death in the Family AND The Killing Joke happen outside these collections? I guess, on one hand, we've had those packaged and re-sold enough, we got it. On the other, though, I have a suggestion for DC: Just put together post-Crisis Batman in one fat, digital stack, charge a little too much for it, and Pete is happy.
gothicteletubby's review
4.75
This was great, I love comics that go in deep with the real life emotions Bruce has and his relationships with the Robins or Alfred, and this comic is chock full of it.
Most of the issues are set a few months after Jason's death, showing how much his death affected Bruce. The grief Bruce feels is so apparent and written so well, Dick's conversation with Bruce and both of their reactions to each other is heartbreaking. I also really enjoyed seeing Bruce a little more mellowed out with Tim's introduction right after A Lonely Place of Dying.
I loved reading this, my only nitpick is some of the art - like in Faces - was so ugly to look at lol.
Most of the issues are set a few months after Jason's death, showing how much his death affected Bruce. The grief Bruce feels is so apparent and written so well, Dick's conversation with Bruce and both of their reactions to each other is heartbreaking. I also really enjoyed seeing Bruce a little more mellowed out with Tim's introduction right after A Lonely Place of Dying.
I loved reading this, my only nitpick is some of the art - like in Faces - was so ugly to look at lol.
dozmuttz's review
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
These Batman collections continue to hold great stories moving the overall world of Batman forward. This particular volume follows the events of ‘A Death In The Family’ (so maybe read that first for certain plot points to make sense). We see the change in Batman after losing Jason in the horrific event and his reaction is not healthy. He’s angry and has taken down all reminders that Jason was his partner, Robin. He’s become more violent and reckless, forgetting his own lessons of keeping a clear head and thinking before doing. The main story in this volume is the storyline ‘Year 3’, which revolves around Gotham going through an intense gang war and Tony Zucco possibly being released from prison. It also shows a bit of Dick Grayson’s (Nightwing/the first Robin) origin and flashbacks displaying how he became Bruce Wayne’s ward and eventual crime fighting partner. Dick is worried about how Bruce is handling the war going on and his rejection to properly grieve the death of Jason. Along with that, Dick is unaware that the man who killed his parents is days away from being a free man and he has no intentions of being a better person.
Main writer is Marv Wolfman and once again he can do no wrong with writing the caped crusader. His focus on Batman’s reaction to the death of Jason was sort of the main focal point which I found to be very interesting and done well. His ‘Year 3’ storyline was also super entertaining and he gives great character depth on Dick Grayson. I love how he shines on the relationship between Dick and Alfred, showing that they have their own unique bond/care for one another. Aside from that it’s some great detective stories and Batman working solo again. Another aspect I love about this era of Batman is how Wolfman writes the city of Gotham. It feels as important to the series as the characters and it overall just feels real. It’s similar to how Frank Miller wrote it in ‘Year one’ and it shows the great detail the team put into this comic back in the day.
Jim Aparo continues to be the artist superstar with Mike DeCarlo providing some great ink work. A quick shout out to Pat Broderick though as he was the main artist for the ‘Year 3’ storyline. Once again Aparo captures the perfect look for Batman, and it’s overall a classic/familiar look. Similar to how I said Wolfman writes a great Gotham City, Aparo obviously is the one displaying it with his art and he does it masterfully. It’s done in a way that feels like a place you might’ve been in before (New York, Chicago, etc.) but still has the out of world element that makes it such an iconic location in fiction. It’s dirty, gritty, and is just the place that would need a character like Batman.
Overall this was another great volume of a great era in the history of Batman. Great writing, plotting, pacing, and artwork. What’s not to like?
megankb's review
3.0
This is a really strong collection of Batman (and Robin) stories and I think a really good indicator of the type of stories that end up proliferating the Bat-comics in the 90s. Even though there's a few separate stories throughout they all feel strung together by the permeation of Bruce's grief over the recent, tragic death of Robin (Jason Todd). The first two stories are by the excellent Christopher Priest - a one-shot and an annual and they're both good. Issue 432 really emphasizes how Jason was Bruce's son and the grief and guilt that have plagued him since his death. And I might be biased, but the annual (which has one of the first post-Killing Joke appearances of the lovely Barbara Gordon) is also a great story. OK, mainly just the prologue which has Jason getting into trouble and Babs suiting up as Batgirl to the chagrin of her father with the great line: "You remember my name! I'm flattered." Next is a 3 issue John Byrne tale that starts with a promising, textless first issue and ends up a little convoluted - but I sure had fun getting to the end. Finally, Wolfman comes on with Batman: Year Three which retells Dick Grayson's origin story intertwined with present Dick (now Nightwing) returning to Gotham to deal with Bruce spiraling over Jason's death. I really loved the flashback bits but the overwhelming focus on Zucco just wasn't interesting to me. For some reason (corporate greed), this collection skips the iconic story "A Lonely Place of Dying," the introduction of Tim Drake as the third Robin. This definitely could cause confusion as the last two issues have Tim training to take over the role while Bruce solves the mystery of the "Crimesmith."
Overall, a very cohesive collection (minus the jarring exclusion of "A Lonely Place of Dying") with solid writing across the board and good art from Aparo. Ideal for fans of the Batfamily.
Overall, a very cohesive collection (minus the jarring exclusion of "A Lonely Place of Dying") with solid writing across the board and good art from Aparo. Ideal for fans of the Batfamily.
lukeisthename34's review
5.0
God do I miss these type of Batman arcs. Mysteries, histories, all of it just well written and well drawn.
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