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northern_mint's review against another edition
2.0
The art is great. The story is just a mess and hard to follow. Admittedly I haven't read any of the prior comics. The magical black person who helps out Batman is not a trope that has aged well. When this comic tries to be smart it comes across as being so very dumb, but when it acknowledges its stupidity, it's truly fantastic.
bloodravenlib's review against another edition
3.0
On the one hand, I have to admit I found myself liking this better than I thought given some of the negative reviews I saw. On the other hand, the ending, or rather the epilogue story that came after the end of the R.I.P. story sequence seemed a bit of a tagged on piece. We probably could have done with out that part, and the larger story would have still worked. It was interesting, but it did not feel necessary. I don't think this is the first time I read Morrison, and I feel that he starts well, then sort of falls apart. As for the R.I.P. story, the core of this volume, it was pretty good, interesting. The idea of attacking Batman mentally is certainly a good one; Bane did it physically, so this was a nice contrast. And yet, after a while, the villains do underestimate the Dark Knight (above as much as I can say without spoiling things). In addition, you do see a few other characters from Batman's life as well in this tale. So, overall, a pretty good tale. It certainly kept my interest.
renatasnacks's review against another edition
3.0
OK full disclosure, I had to read a recent Batman volume for class and I picked this one without realizing that I apparently should have read a couple other ones before reading this one. So I found it very confusing. But also, Batman is on some kind of meditation-induced acid trip the whole time (OR IS HE) so I think it would have been pretty confusing either way.
Still though, I enjoyed it. Pretty fun and intense and Robin and Nightwing actually had stuff to do (since Batman was tripping).
Still though, I enjoyed it. Pretty fun and intense and Robin and Nightwing actually had stuff to do (since Batman was tripping).
kfrench1008's review against another edition
4.0
Grant Morrison's takes on the Batman legend are always interesting and worth a read.
booksnarks's review against another edition
2.0
I have a very like/dislike relationship with Grant Morrison (mostly dislike). Yes, on one hand he introduced Damien who is plain awesome, on the other hand he ruined characters, such as Talia who has been reduced to a cold psychopathic villain so far gone from her original kick-ass self. Talia was one of the most complex characters in the Betman universe! Even Batman is written so badly and OOC that sometimes I just shake my head at the things he's saying.
But above all, what bugs me are his storylines! The ideas behind them are great, but their execution is pretty meaningless. Batman and Son for instance, again Damien is great, but he was not introduced in a manner that he deserved, Arkhum Asylum again was a great idea, but I hated the way it was executed. And this story, well I finished it and I found myself asking 'what was the point of it?' No but really, I get the idea behind it, it was a good idea, but I was just genuinely so confused about everything that was presented on the page. A bit of a disappointment.
But above all, what bugs me are his storylines! The ideas behind them are great, but their execution is pretty meaningless. Batman and Son for instance, again Damien is great, but he was not introduced in a manner that he deserved, Arkhum Asylum again was a great idea, but I hated the way it was executed. And this story, well I finished it and I found myself asking 'what was the point of it?' No but really, I get the idea behind it, it was a good idea, but I was just genuinely so confused about everything that was presented on the page. A bit of a disappointment.
roodster47's review against another edition
One of the most insane incomprehensible comics I've ever read.
writethruchaos's review against another edition
4.0
I have read this one before I just have no memory of it... Maybe because its an okay story and its a follow up to the Son of Batman arc, which I hadn't read. It's pretty confusing ngl. But it's fun to play with insanity, especially Batman's. This is one of those gems that I think should be turned into a movie. It explores Bruce's character and does a great job of tying subplots together. Again, Batman HAS a sense of humor! Some of Bruce's lines in this one are just too good. Of course the story is made so much better by the drama queen that is the Joker. I don't know who's the bigger Primadonna, the Batman of Zur En Arrh or Joker. Either way, I loved when these two characters clashed.
blackestclovers's review against another edition
5.0
Wow. This is one of the best and craziest Bat stories I've ever read. Must read for Bat-fans.
ahmedhossam's review against another edition
1.0
This is the only Batman comic I hated. I sincerely regret every second wasted on this pretentious piece of crap.
djotaku's review against another edition
5.0
If there is a simple message to this trade it's that Batman is always prepared! The narrative starts off a little incomprehensible as Grant Morrison is want to do. But once it gets into high gear, I think this is one of the most well-written of his Batman books. I love how he fishes into the past for silly things from the olden days like Bat-Mite and makes it make sense in the post-Year One world of Batman.
I love the art in this book. There are many ways to portray Joker and I'm a huge fan of his Batman: The Animated Series incarnation (and I'll always hear Mark Hammil when I read these comics), but I LOVE the Joker that Tony Daniel brings us. He looks as demented on the outside as he is on the inside. And, in every Grant Morrison portrayal of Joker, I think he gets his neurosis perfectly. Sure, this Joker is beyond macabre, but it's a good phase for the Joker to go through and a great contrast to the playfulness of the Golden/Silver Age and The Animated Series. (Although I would like to see a modern writer tackle a sillier Joker once more. It would take a lot of work to make that fit in with the serious tone Batman books have nowadays, but TAS seemed to toe that line well)
The story is that of an evil conspiracy which was apparently first mentioned in earlier issues of Batman. I just got into Batman this year and I find that DC does a horrible job compared to Marvel of letting you know which books to read in what order. In fact, this copy of the trade I own doesn't even list the collected works on the back cover. If it were sealed in a store I'd have no idea which issues were in it. Anyway, this conspiracy, The Black Glove, is after Batman and seems to know all his secrets. (Why they do is revealed in the epilogue)
Buy this and read it - it's one of the greatest cape stories I've read in a long time. Sometimes Grant Morrison gets a pass simply because he's famous for being awesome. And I've read some of his work that I thought was OK or even sub-par for someone of his statures. This is actually one of the great ones! Read it!
-If there's one negative to this book it's that I was able to spot at a mile away that the Red Head was connected to The Black Glove. Am I just getting that good at narrative? (Having been reading and studying about storytelling for years) Or it is a minor lapse on Morrison's part? Don't know. It's really the only failing. Unless.....
-you consider the fact that Batman is SO prepared for everything that he was even prepared for the possibility of someone mucking with his brain and making him forget who he was that he created the Batman of Zur Arrn (something like that) just in case such a thing happened. And that is how he's still Batman when he's not supposed to be. Personally, while I found it a little too far, at the same time I appreciated Grant Morrison's use of golden/silver age canon as to when he was implanted and I thoughjt it gave Morrison a way to create the Batman we've all wanted to see - Batman without Bruce's conscious. Batman unafraid to kill or maim. And gives us a way to get back to normal Batman after that story was over.
I love the art in this book. There are many ways to portray Joker and I'm a huge fan of his Batman: The Animated Series incarnation (and I'll always hear Mark Hammil when I read these comics), but I LOVE the Joker that Tony Daniel brings us. He looks as demented on the outside as he is on the inside. And, in every Grant Morrison portrayal of Joker, I think he gets his neurosis perfectly. Sure, this Joker is beyond macabre, but it's a good phase for the Joker to go through and a great contrast to the playfulness of the Golden/Silver Age and The Animated Series. (Although I would like to see a modern writer tackle a sillier Joker once more. It would take a lot of work to make that fit in with the serious tone Batman books have nowadays, but TAS seemed to toe that line well)
The story is that of an evil conspiracy which was apparently first mentioned in earlier issues of Batman. I just got into Batman this year and I find that DC does a horrible job compared to Marvel of letting you know which books to read in what order. In fact, this copy of the trade I own doesn't even list the collected works on the back cover. If it were sealed in a store I'd have no idea which issues were in it. Anyway, this conspiracy, The Black Glove, is after Batman and seems to know all his secrets. (Why they do is revealed in the epilogue)
Buy this and read it - it's one of the greatest cape stories I've read in a long time. Sometimes Grant Morrison gets a pass simply because he's famous for being awesome. And I've read some of his work that I thought was OK or even sub-par for someone of his statures. This is actually one of the great ones! Read it!
Spoiler
-If there's one negative to this book it's that I was able to spot at a mile away that the Red Head was connected to The Black Glove. Am I just getting that good at narrative? (Having been reading and studying about storytelling for years) Or it is a minor lapse on Morrison's part? Don't know. It's really the only failing. Unless.....
-you consider the fact that Batman is SO prepared for everything that he was even prepared for the possibility of someone mucking with his brain and making him forget who he was that he created the Batman of Zur Arrn (something like that) just in case such a thing happened. And that is how he's still Batman when he's not supposed to be. Personally, while I found it a little too far, at the same time I appreciated Grant Morrison's use of golden/silver age canon as to when he was implanted and I thoughjt it gave Morrison a way to create the Batman we've all wanted to see - Batman without Bruce's conscious. Batman unafraid to kill or maim. And gives us a way to get back to normal Batman after that story was over.