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eileenthecrow's review
4.0
me? liking two batman stories written by tom king? it's the end of the world
geekwayne's review
5.0
'Batman, Vol. 5' by Tom King with art by Joëlle Jones, Clay Mann, and Lee Weeks continues in the Tom King era of providing top notch Batman stories.
Batman is engaged to Catwoman. This news is dropped by Albert to a stunned group of protoges hanging out at Wayne Manor. More stunning is that Batman and Catwoman are on their way to confront Damian's mother and Batman's ex-wife, Talia Al Ghul. We aren't ever told why, but it's a fun confrontation between the ex-wife and the new one. Joëlle Jones' art in this story is outstanding and my favorite in this volume.
The second story involves Batman telling Superman about his new fiance. There is a lot of back and forth and a really funny sequence where everyone kind of switches places. It shows what great friends these two are. The art by Clay Mann is also good in this story.
The 3rd story goes back to the early meetings of Catwoman and Batman and their game of cat and mouse. It includes what I thought was a very poignant epilogue. The art by Lee Weeks works well for this.
Overall, I loved this story. I loved the nicknames and the humor. I love how you really care about these characters, and how the ending really got to me. I love the double meaning of the title.
I received a review copy of this graphic novel from DC Entertainment and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.
Batman is engaged to Catwoman. This news is dropped by Albert to a stunned group of protoges hanging out at Wayne Manor. More stunning is that Batman and Catwoman are on their way to confront Damian's mother and Batman's ex-wife, Talia Al Ghul. We aren't ever told why, but it's a fun confrontation between the ex-wife and the new one. Joëlle Jones' art in this story is outstanding and my favorite in this volume.
The second story involves Batman telling Superman about his new fiance. There is a lot of back and forth and a really funny sequence where everyone kind of switches places. It shows what great friends these two are. The art by Clay Mann is also good in this story.
The 3rd story goes back to the early meetings of Catwoman and Batman and their game of cat and mouse. It includes what I thought was a very poignant epilogue. The art by Lee Weeks works well for this.
Overall, I loved this story. I loved the nicknames and the humor. I love how you really care about these characters, and how the ending really got to me. I love the double meaning of the title.
I received a review copy of this graphic novel from DC Entertainment and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.
unladylike's review
5.0
Oh man, this is NOT your typical series of Batman comics. It had me laughing in multiple scenes, and nearly crying by the end. The "Engagement" the title refers to is that between Bruce Wayne and Selina Kyle. Bat <3 Cat.
These issues are all about their strange match with each other, and how much stranger it is for the others in their lives (well, in Bruce's life - one criticism I have is that Selena doesn't seem to have a social life of her own, so it all hinges on the Bat Family).
Seeing this many issues dedicated to slow moving romantic comedy - all masterfully delivered by Tom King et al - makes me think we're on the verge of another major conflict, likely tied up in more emotional complexity than is normal for Bats. I'm not sure how we'll interpret the second half of Batman Annual #2 in the future, but it clinches the planned future for these partners and lovers through to the end, at least as much as a superhero comicbook can promise anything.
These issues are all about their strange match with each other, and how much stranger it is for the others in their lives (well, in Bruce's life - one criticism I have is that Selena doesn't seem to have a social life of her own, so it all hinges on the Bat Family).
Seeing this many issues dedicated to slow moving romantic comedy - all masterfully delivered by Tom King et al - makes me think we're on the verge of another major conflict, likely tied up in more emotional complexity than is normal for Bats. I'm not sure how we'll interpret the second half of Batman Annual #2 in the future, but it clinches the planned future for these partners and lovers through to the end, at least as much as a superhero comicbook can promise anything.
priorglass's review
5.0
Selina-Bruce-Talia unconventional conversation about marriage.
Dick and Damian having a heart to heart in the night desert.
Clark and Bruce bonding on a double date with Lois and Selina.
I love this volume so much!
Dick and Damian having a heart to heart in the night desert.
Clark and Bruce bonding on a double date with Lois and Selina.
I love this volume so much!
rbreade's review
Shuffled chronology, the foregrounding of character interaction and the backgrounding--even off-paneling--of action, the wry humor, all in a day's work for writer Tom King. The second part of this collection, titled "SuperFriends: Parts 1 &2--Superman," is, by itself, worth the price of the book, and not just for the cheeky nod to the 1970s-1980s cartoon of the same name. I mean, Bruce Wayne, Selina Kyle, Clark Kent, and Lois Lane go on a double date to the Gotham County Fair on Super Hero Night, where fair-goers must be in some costume? And naturally, they all just switch gear, so Bruce is Supes and Clark is Bats and Lois is Catwoman and Selina is Lois but she convinces the ticket-taker that she's Catwoman in disguise with a well-placed "meow"? And the only "villain" is a purse-snatcher who grabs the wrong person's purse (Selina's) and is taken out with a perfectly-thrown baseball a la Buddy the Elf's long-range snowball in Elf? And it's just fantastic? Yes, to all of that. And that doesn't even address the final story in the collection, "Some of These Days," that flashes back to the beginning of Bat and Cat, one of the best meet-cutes you could wish for, and flashes forward to the end, a genuinely moving story that put me in mind of that heartbreaking life-montage in Pixar's Up. Comics at their best.
moonlightmai's review
5.0
Wow. If I can give this book more than 5 stars I would.
This book doesn’t really have any major threats, it primarily is about Bruce and Selina, and their relationship and it really makes you feel and sympathize with Bruce and it shows how much they both love each other. And the art???? Joëlle Jones is absolutely incredible, would love to see her in a Wonder Woman book!
This book doesn’t really have any major threats, it primarily is about Bruce and Selina, and their relationship and it really makes you feel and sympathize with Bruce and it shows how much they both love each other. And the art???? Joëlle Jones is absolutely incredible, would love to see her in a Wonder Woman book!
kevinowenkelly's review
5.0
This is one of those rare books that makes you want to go back and retroactively lower all of the other ratings you've given out.
This book tackles a number of Bat-world dynamics coming off of Selina Kyle accepting Bruce Wayne's marriage proposal.
It starts out fun, a big adventure wrapped around a thin premise that sees Batman and Catwoman heading through the desert to break illegally break into a country and confront his ex, Talia al Ghul. The illegal entry bit gets dropped quickly, the reasons for the confrontation are weak, and the story is So. Fun.
Talia and Catwoman have a sword duel. The Batfamily boys of Dick, Jason, Damian, and Duke process their shock and emotions. Damian in particular has a lot of complex angles on the subject.
But then that arc ends, and I worried it was too soon. Until the next two issues delve into the comes friendship between Batman and Superman, and touch on some surprisingly well developed themes, such as how it can paradoxically be harder to talk to your friends. King is at his absolute best here with how he mines the two heroes' views of each other to find surprising parallels and what it is that makes them such good friends, things that they themselves don't even realize.
And then THAT is topped off with a double date for the ages.
And throughout all of it there's wonderful humor (one of the best jokes is at the expense of the last volume, The War of Jokes and Riddles), really insightful character development, and this wonderful sense of joy to the writing and action and interactions that has been missing or sparse in some of the recent stories.
Naturally, there's then one final issue, an annual that delves into the past and possible future of Batman and Catwoman's relationship that had me almost ugly crying in the middle of a coffee shop.
This book really has it all.
This book tackles a number of Bat-world dynamics coming off of Selina Kyle accepting Bruce Wayne's marriage proposal.
It starts out fun, a big adventure wrapped around a thin premise that sees Batman and Catwoman heading through the desert to break illegally break into a country and confront his ex, Talia al Ghul. The illegal entry bit gets dropped quickly, the reasons for the confrontation are weak, and the story is So. Fun.
Talia and Catwoman have a sword duel. The Batfamily boys of Dick, Jason, Damian, and Duke process their shock and emotions. Damian in particular has a lot of complex angles on the subject.
But then that arc ends, and I worried it was too soon. Until the next two issues delve into the comes friendship between Batman and Superman, and touch on some surprisingly well developed themes, such as how it can paradoxically be harder to talk to your friends. King is at his absolute best here with how he mines the two heroes' views of each other to find surprising parallels and what it is that makes them such good friends, things that they themselves don't even realize.
And then THAT is topped off with a double date for the ages.
And throughout all of it there's wonderful humor (one of the best jokes is at the expense of the last volume, The War of Jokes and Riddles), really insightful character development, and this wonderful sense of joy to the writing and action and interactions that has been missing or sparse in some of the recent stories.
Naturally, there's then one final issue, an annual that delves into the past and possible future of Batman and Catwoman's relationship that had me almost ugly crying in the middle of a coffee shop.
This book really has it all.
groblinthegoblin624's review against another edition
3.75
I didn’t really enjoy the writing or art of the first arc in this volume, the titular Rules of Engagement, but the Superfriends: Superman story was so delightful
joshgauthier's review
5.0
With "Rules of Engagement," King reaches even greater heights with his run of Batman. With Bruce and Selina--Bat and Cat--finally beginning to make their engagement known, they also find themselves dramatically confronting pieces of their pasts that must be addressed before they can move forward. And even then, the world--and the people--that surround them have their own thoughts on the engagement. And those realities must be faced as well.
While still delivering action and excitement, Vol. 5 takes some time to find some quieter moments as well. And it is in these moments--between Bat and Cat; Bruce and Clark; Robin and Nightwing; and others--that King's ability as a writer truly shines. Between the action and the relationships, with trademark seriousness and a pleasing dose of humor, King and the creative team have crafted a remarkable new chapter in this developing story that is grand in scope, while also finding fresh intimacy between familiar characters.
While still delivering action and excitement, Vol. 5 takes some time to find some quieter moments as well. And it is in these moments--between Bat and Cat; Bruce and Clark; Robin and Nightwing; and others--that King's ability as a writer truly shines. Between the action and the relationships, with trademark seriousness and a pleasing dose of humor, King and the creative team have crafted a remarkable new chapter in this developing story that is grand in scope, while also finding fresh intimacy between familiar characters.