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littlemascara's review against another edition
5.0
Best Batman trade I've read in years; more Dick Grayson, please!
laujensen's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
obnorthrup's review against another edition
4.0
Probably the best Batman arc in a number of years, and definitely the best with Dick Grayson as Batman.
neilrcoulter's review against another edition
5.0
Wow. I've read the graphic novels that people regard as "the best Batman story ever" (Year One, The Dark Knight Returns, The Killing Joke), and I wasn't as enthusiastic about any of them as many people are. But The Black Mirror really is the best Batman story I've read. It's a perfect combination of writer (Scott Snyder) and artists (Jock and Francesco Francavilla). The writing is sharp, witty, insightful; and the art is my favorite Batman art--from both artists, in slightly different ways.
I like how Snyder crafts a story in which Gotham City is the main character. Gordon, Grayson, and others muse on whether the city itself is a nightmare, a "black mirror" that creates fear and despair. In the face of such a foe, what can anyone do? Gordon questions, "Do you ever feel like . . . the more good you do or try to do for people out there, for strangers, the more the ones close to you, the ones you love, get hurt? . . . I don't mean in general. I mean here in Gotham. . . . I'm talking about the bricks. The stone. The damn bedrock. There are times I feel a dark heart down there, Dick. Beating and beating." Gordon, especially, is put through a most difficult story, and in the end . . . there's really no answer, other than to endure. "The thing is," Grayson says, "being here now, on the other side of all the terrible things that happened, I know that this is where I need to be. . . . [I]f you make it through Gotham's trials, if you can stand up to the monsters it throws at you, you come out redeemed. A stronger version of yourself." That's not very satisfying, because there are certainly limits to how far your own strength can take you. But the story doesn't end, and we can hope that the next day is a little better--that the true answer to the seemingly relentless evil in the world will become clearer to all of these tormented, big-hearted characters.
The separate stories in this collection interweave in interesting ways. It all builds to a great final chapter--though I felt that Gordon Jr.'s monologuing in the end was a bit too caricatured and typical. I would have liked something more surprising or complicated. However, that slight disappointment doesn't take away from the skillful storytelling that leads up to it.
This is a Batman story with no Bruce Wayne, and in which the Joker is merely a side character. But it is classic noir Batman, and nearly perfect.
I like how Snyder crafts a story in which Gotham City is the main character. Gordon, Grayson, and others muse on whether the city itself is a nightmare, a "black mirror" that creates fear and despair. In the face of such a foe, what can anyone do? Gordon questions, "Do you ever feel like . . . the more good you do or try to do for people out there, for strangers, the more the ones close to you, the ones you love, get hurt? . . . I don't mean in general. I mean here in Gotham. . . . I'm talking about the bricks. The stone. The damn bedrock. There are times I feel a dark heart down there, Dick. Beating and beating." Gordon, especially, is put through a most difficult story, and in the end . . . there's really no answer, other than to endure. "The thing is," Grayson says, "being here now, on the other side of all the terrible things that happened, I know that this is where I need to be. . . . [I]f you make it through Gotham's trials, if you can stand up to the monsters it throws at you, you come out redeemed. A stronger version of yourself." That's not very satisfying, because there are certainly limits to how far your own strength can take you. But the story doesn't end, and we can hope that the next day is a little better--that the true answer to the seemingly relentless evil in the world will become clearer to all of these tormented, big-hearted characters.
The separate stories in this collection interweave in interesting ways. It all builds to a great final chapter--though I felt that Gordon Jr.'s monologuing in the end was a bit too caricatured and typical. I would have liked something more surprising or complicated. However, that slight disappointment doesn't take away from the skillful storytelling that leads up to it.
This is a Batman story with no Bruce Wayne, and in which the Joker is merely a side character. But it is classic noir Batman, and nearly perfect.
neilrcoulter's review against another edition
5.0
I'd wanted to try reading one of the "Noir" Batman graphic novels, which remove all the coloring and present just the ink drawings and words. It seems like a good choice for Batman. So I started with the Noir version of one of my favorites, The Black Mirror. I actually wasn't quite as gripped by the story itself this time, which comes merely from knowing what to expect. But I did love the black and white illustrations. Removing the color leaves a surprising amount of depth in the images, and with a bleak story such as this one, it gives the feeling of a book that's either disintegrating as I read it or still taking shape into what it's going to become. The artists for the stories collected in this volume are two of my favorites: Francesco Francavilla and Jock. I found Jock's style especially well suited to the Noir pages. The book is a satisfyingly substantial size and feels good to read. I'll check out more in the Noir series soon.
ladylegerwood's review against another edition
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
hcgambrell's review against another edition
5.0
I read this book because I saw Scott Snyder and Francesco Francavilla at a panel at HeroesCon two weeks ago, and the friend who was with me said, "You HAVE to read this." He was right--the story is exceptional, and the artwork is masterful. This was my first time reading a Batman story where Dick Grayson was Batman, and I really liked the different perspective that he brings to Gotham City. I also loved the focus on Commissioner Gordon's family, and the killer whale was a strange/very cool addition to the story.
jhouses's review against another edition
2.0
Una recopilación de la serie regular de Batman con un arco argumental bastante decente basado en la figura de Jim Gordon Jr., hijo del comisario Gordon y psicópata nivel 9 en la escala de Lecter. La historia se deja leer y el antagonista es uno de los más terribles a los que se ha enfrentado Batman pues está decidido a llevar a cabo su plan y no se distrae con disfraces coloridos, sicarios o adivinanzas estúpidas. Por otra parte Batman no es Batman, es Dick Grayson, el primer Robin haciendo una suplencia porque Bruce Wayne estaba en otra serie.
filmbusterspaul's review against another edition
4.0
I have found so far that Scott Snyder tends to go for visceral shock over emotional depth in his stories and about half way in I still thought this was the case… until it wasn’t.
From what starts as feeling like disjointed adventures of Dick Grayson’s Batman and Jim Gordon in their respective cases, suddenly morphs around halfway through. Leading to a wonderfully unsettling story that has been evolving in the background all along surrounding James Gordon Jr. It’s not exactly universe impacting stuff, but when faced with something that truly affects our protagonists on an emotional level, it will always work wonders for me.
The art by Jock is tremendous as expected and I finally have context for the giant smiling Joker art I have on my wall at home. Jock’s art also works great alongside Francavilla’s pieces too, as at times it swaps between them during vital scenes and adds a wonderful sense of chaos.
It’s also great to see Dick in the cape and cowl cracking a smile every now and then too.
From what starts as feeling like disjointed adventures of Dick Grayson’s Batman and Jim Gordon in their respective cases, suddenly morphs around halfway through. Leading to a wonderfully unsettling story that has been evolving in the background all along surrounding James Gordon Jr. It’s not exactly universe impacting stuff, but when faced with something that truly affects our protagonists on an emotional level, it will always work wonders for me.
The art by Jock is tremendous as expected and I finally have context for the giant smiling Joker art I have on my wall at home. Jock’s art also works great alongside Francavilla’s pieces too, as at times it swaps between them during vital scenes and adds a wonderful sense of chaos.
It’s also great to see Dick in the cape and cowl cracking a smile every now and then too.
allisonjpmiller's review against another edition
4.0
In a word: CREEPY. I was not ready for James Gordon Jr. Nope. I also didn't think I was ready for Dick Grayson in the Batsuit, because to I'm one of those annoying purists who finds it really difficult to see anyone other than Bruce Wayne as Batman (we'll make a special exception for Terry McGinnis, because that's a future scenario with Old Grumpy Bruce acting as the brains behind the operation – a wonderful thing in its own right). But The Black Mirror made me appreciate DG as a character, when before I'd found him kind of uninvolving (even as Nightwing). I also loved Oracle in this arc, but then I always love Oracle.
The way that Snyder writes Gotham as its own character – a "hungry city" that contains something rotten in its very bedrock, not just in the people who fill Arkham and the alleyways – was effective. There's a sense that Gotham's good people are trapped in a city that won't let them win, and for that very reason feel compelled to stay, just to help the average person keep their head above water: to prevent them from drowning. I think I loved the atmosphere and themes explored in this series more than the actual story itself, which wasn't as well-delineated as it could've been. But it has a lingering effect.
The way that Snyder writes Gotham as its own character – a "hungry city" that contains something rotten in its very bedrock, not just in the people who fill Arkham and the alleyways – was effective. There's a sense that Gotham's good people are trapped in a city that won't let them win, and for that very reason feel compelled to stay, just to help the average person keep their head above water: to prevent them from drowning. I think I loved the atmosphere and themes explored in this series more than the actual story itself, which wasn't as well-delineated as it could've been. But it has a lingering effect.